The European playoff fixtures for FIFA World Cup qualification are set. Sixteen teams will compete, and four teams will secure a spot in the World Cup. The playoffs will take place in March, consisting of a single semifinal and a final. Italy, the four-time world champions who have not qualified since 2014, will face Northern Ireland in the first semifinal, which will be held in Italy. The winner of this match will meet the victor of the second semifinal in the playoff final. Wales will host Bosnia and Herzegovina in this second semifinal. The final will be held in the country of the team with the highest FIFA ranking among the semifinal winners.
In the third playoff semifinal, Ukraine will take on Sweden, with Ukraine enjoying home advantage. The winner of this match will face the winner of the fourth semifinal, where Poland will compete against Albania. This semifinal will also be held in Poland. In the fifth semifinal, Turkey will host Romania, while Slovakia will take on Kosovo in the sixth semifinal at home. The winners of these semifinals will meet in the playoff final. In another significant match, Denmark, who lost their World Cup opportunity in Scotland, will host North Macedonia in the seventh semifinal. The winner will then face the victor of the eighth semifinal, where the Czech Republic will play the Republic of Ireland in a surprising matchup. By March, we will know which four teams will qualify for the World Cup.