World Cup 2026 Qualifying Reaches 34 Teams as Germany and Netherlands Seal Places

Overview

• Germany crushed Slovakia 6–0 and the Netherlands beat Lithuania 4–0 to clinch direct qualification on the final European matchday, lifting the total to 34 qualified teams.
• Italy finished second in its group after a 4–1 loss to Norway and will enter UEFA’s 16‑team playoffs, facing the possibility of missing a third straight World Cup.
• UEFA’s playoffs will feature four single‑elimination paths with semifinals and finals, one qualifier per path, with the draw on November 20 in Switzerland and matches in March 2026.
• CONCACAF decides three direct berths on November 18, with Suriname, Panama, Jamaica, Curaçao, Honduras, Costa Rica and Haiti still in contention under various scenarios.
• Two inter‑confederation playoff places will be awarded in March 2026, with DR Congo, New Caledonia and Bolivia already in the field and Iraq vs. UAE to complete an AFC entrant after a 1–1 first leg.