The last football international break before World Cup starts place next week, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup inter-confederation play-offs (with teams like Iraq, Jamaica, and Bolivia) and the European play-offs (with teams like Slovakia, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, and Wales). Qualified nations will play friendly games in the meantime, warm-ups for World Cup next June.
Here are the games that still carry some weight in the international break next week. All of them are on Thursday, March 26 and Tuesday, March 31:
Inter-confederation play-offs
Six teams from the entire world except for Europe (one for AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL, and OFC and two for CONCACAF) will fight for two available slots in World Cup next summer:
Semi-finals (March 26)
Path 1: New Caledonia vs. Jamaica (3:00 CET, 2:00 GMT of March 27), in Guadalajara, Mexico
Path 2: Bolivia vs Suriname (00:00 CET, 23.00 GMT), in Guadalupe, Mexico
Finals (March 31)
Path 1: DR Congo vs. New Caledonia/Jamaica (22:00 CET, 21:00 GMT) in Guadalajara, Mexico - The winner will go into Group K (Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia)
Path 2: Iraq vs. Bolivia/Suriname (4:00 CET, 3:00 GMT of April 1) in Guadalupe, Mexico - The winner will go into Group I (France, Senegal, Norway)
European qualifiers
There are also four slots available for European nations, and twelve countries in four pathways:
Path A
Italy vs. Northern Ireland: March 26, 20:45 CET, 19:45 GMT
Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina: March 26, 20:45 CET, 19:45 GMT
Final: March 31, 20:45 CET, 19:45 GMT - The winner joins Group B (Canada, Qatar, Switzerland)
Path B
Ukraine vs. Sweden: March 26, 20:45 CET, 19:45 GMT
Poland vs. Albania: March 26, 20:45 CET, 19:45 GMT
Final: March 31, 20:45 CET, 19:45 GMT - The winner joins Group F (Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia)
Path C
Turkey vs. Romania: March 26, 18:00 CET, 17:00 GMT
Slovakia vs. Kosovo: March 26, 20:45 CET, 19:45 GMT
Final: March 31, 20:45 CET, 19:45 GMT - The winner joins Group D (USA, Paraguay, Australia)
Path D
Denmark vs. North Macedonia: March 26, 20:45 CET, 19:45 GMT
Czech Republic vs. Ireland: March 26, 20:45 CET, 19:45 GMT
Final: March 31, 20:45 CET, 19:45 GMT - The winner joins Group A (Mexico, South Africa, South Korea)
Who do you think will qualify for World Cup 2026 in March?