Zurich: The race for the final two places at the FIFA World Cup 2026 will reach its climax on Tuesday, March 31, as four teams battle it out in decisive play-off fixtures in Mexico.
In the first encounter, DR Congo will take on Jamaica at Estadio Guadalajara at 15:00 local time, while Iraq face Bolivia at Estadio Monterrey later in the day at 21:00 local time. The winners will secure the final berths for the expanded 48-team tournament, set to kick off on June 11, 2026.
Tickets for both matches in the play-off tournament remain available to the public through FIFA’s official ticketing platform.
Jamaica, representing Concacaf, booked their place in the first final pathway after edging New Caledonia 1-0 in Guadalajara last Thursday. They will now face DR Congo, who qualified directly for the play-off final by virtue of their position in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking, representing CAF.
The winner of this clash will join Group K at the World Cup alongside Colombia, Portugal and tournament debutants Uzbekistan. Matches in this group are scheduled to be played across Atlanta, Guadalajara, Houston, Miami and Mexico City.
In the second play-off fixture, Bolivia advanced after a 2-1 victory over Suriname and will represent CONMEBOL. They will face Iraq, who, like DR Congo, secured their play-off place through their FIFA ranking, representing AFC.
The winner of this tie will be placed in Group I alongside France, Norway and Senegal. Group matches are scheduled to take place in Boston, New York New Jersey, Philadelphia and Toronto between June 16 and June 26, 2026.
Meanwhile, Europe’s final four qualification spots will also be decided on the same day, with a series of high-stakes encounters across the continent. Bosnia and Herzegovina will host four-time world champions Italy in Zenica, while Czechia take on Denmark in Prague.
Elsewhere, Kosovo will face Türkiye in Pristina, and Sweden meet Poland in Solna.
With the tournament’s full line-up set to be confirmed by the end of the day, anticipation continues to build ahead of what will be the first edition of the FIFA World Cup to feature 48 teams, marking a new era in global football.
