On 26 March 2026 the semifinals of the European World Cup playoff were held, and the picture is almost complete: Italy, Sweden, Turkey and Denmark advanced to the finals, to be held on 31 March. The last 6 spots at World Cup 2026 — 4 European and 2 intercontinental — will be decided in the finals.
Italy, who haven't played at a World Cup since 2014 (!) and missed out in 2018 and 2022, beat Northern Ireland 2-0. Sandro Tonali of Newcastle opened the scoring in the second half, and Moise Kean scored the second to seal it.
In the other semifinal, Bosnia and Herzegovina eliminated Wales after a 1-1 draw and penalties 4-2.
Path A final (31 March): Italy vs. Bosnia. Italy must win — the Italian people won't tolerate another World Cup without them.
Viktor Gyökeres of Sporting CP dominated the match completely. The Swedish striker's hat-trick crushed Ukraine 3-0, and Sweden advanced to the final with total confidence. Gyökeres, with 54 goals in the 2024/25 Portuguese league season, is proving he's one of the best strikers in the world.
They will face Poland, who beat Albania 2-1 thanks to goals from Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zieliński.
Path B final (31 March): Sweden vs. Poland. Gyökeres vs. Lewandowski — the playoff's striker duel.
Real Madrid's Ferdi Kadıoğlu scored the winning goal in the 53rd minute, after an amazing assist from Arda Güler — also of Real Madrid. Turkey, who reached the Euro 2024 semifinal, want to reach the World Cup for the first time since 2002.
They will face Kosovo, who beat Slovakia 4-3 in a wild match that included a stunning free kick from Florent Muslija.
Path C final (31 March): Turkey vs. Kosovo.
Denmark dominated completely, with a brace from Gustav Isaksen within two minutes. Final score 4-0, and Denmark advance to the final.
They will face: Czechia, who equalized in the 86th minute against Ireland and then won on penalties 4-3. A dramatic moment that saved the Czechs.
Path D final (31 March): Denmark vs. Czechia.
Outside Europe too, the semifinals were held:
When are the World Cup 2026 playoff finals?
All the finals will be held on 31 March 2026 (Tuesday). 4 European finals and 2 intercontinental finals.
Is Italy already at World Cup 2026?
Not yet. Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semifinal and must beat Bosnia in the final on 31 March to qualify — for the first time since 2014.
Who scored a hat-trick in the playoffs?
Viktor Gyökeres of Sporting CP and the Swedish national team, in the 3-0 win over Ukraine.
48 national teams, 104 matches, 16 stadiums in 3 countries. World Cup 2026 is a once-in-a-generation experience.
At TikTik you'll find verified tickets for World Cup 2026 matches — group stage, knockouts and up to the final at MetLife. All tickets are secured.
Sports packages and tickets for upcoming matches through TikTik »
