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.<\/strong> The last 6 spots at World Cup 2026 \u2014 4 European and 2 intercontinental \u2014 will be decided in the finals.<\/p>\n 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<\/strong> of Newcastle opened the scoring in the second half, and Moise Kean<\/strong> scored the second to seal it.<\/p>\n In the other semifinal, Bosnia and Herzegovina eliminated Wales after a 1-1 draw and penalties 4-2.<\/p>\n Path A final (31 March): Italy vs. Bosnia.<\/strong> Italy must win \u2014 the Italian people won't tolerate another World Cup without them.<\/p>\n Viktor Gy\u00f6keres of Sporting CP dominated the match completely. The Swedish striker's hat-trick<\/strong> crushed Ukraine 3-0, and Sweden advanced to the final with total confidence. Gy\u00f6keres, with 54 goals in the 2024\/25 Portuguese league season, is proving he's one of the best strikers in the world.<\/p>\n They will face Poland<\/strong>, who beat Albania 2-1 thanks to goals from Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zieli\u0144ski.<\/p>\n Path B final (31 March): Sweden vs. Poland.<\/strong> Gy\u00f6keres vs. Lewandowski \u2014 the playoff's striker duel.<\/p>\n Real Madrid's Ferdi Kad\u0131o\u011flu scored the winning goal in the 53rd minute, after an amazing assist from Arda G\u00fcler<\/strong> \u2014 also of Real Madrid. Turkey, who reached the Euro 2024 semifinal, want to reach the World Cup for the first time since 2002.<\/p>\n They will face Kosovo<\/strong>, who beat Slovakia 4-3 in a wild match that included a stunning free kick from Florent Muslija.<\/p>\n Path C final (31 March): Turkey vs. Kosovo.<\/strong><\/p>\n Denmark dominated completely, with a brace from Gustav Isaksen<\/strong> within two minutes. Final score 4-0, and Denmark advance to the final.<\/p>\n They will face: Czechia<\/strong>, who equalized in the 86th minute against Ireland and then won on penalties 4-3. A dramatic moment that saved the Czechs.<\/p>\n Path D final (31 March): Denmark vs. Czechia.<\/strong><\/p>\n Outside Europe too, the semifinals were held:<\/p>\n When are the World Cup 2026 playoff finals?<\/strong> Is Italy already at World Cup 2026?<\/strong> Who scored a hat-trick in the playoffs?<\/strong> 48 national teams, 104 matches, 16 stadiums in 3 countries. World Cup 2026 is a once-in-a-generation experience.<\/p>\n At TikTik<\/strong><\/a> you'll find verified tickets for World Cup 2026 matches \u2014 group stage, knockouts and up to the final at MetLife. All tickets are secured.<\/p>\n Sports packages and tickets for upcoming matches through TikTik \u00bb<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nPath A: Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland \u2014 a return after 12 years?<\/h2>\n
Path B: Sweden 3-0 Ukraine \u2014 Gy\u00f6keres's hat-trick<\/h2>\n
Path C: Turkey 1-0 Romania \u2014 Arda G\u00fcler's magic<\/h2>\n
Path D: Denmark 4-0 North Macedonia<\/h2>\n
Intercontinental playoff: Jamaica and Bolivia in the final<\/h2>\n
\n
All the finals \u2014 31 March 2026<\/h2>\n
\n
Results summary \u2014 the semifinals<\/h2>\n
\n
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)<\/h2>\n
All the finals will be held on 31 March 2026 (Tuesday). 4 European finals and 2 intercontinental finals.<\/p>\n
Not yet. Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semifinal and must beat Bosnia in the final on 31 March to qualify \u2014 for the first time since 2014.<\/p>\n
Viktor Gy\u00f6keres of Sporting CP and the Swedish national team, in the 3-0 win over Ukraine.<\/p>\n\ud83c\udfab Sports packages and tickets for upcoming matches<\/h2>\n