(FILES) This photograph shows the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy following the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Play-Off draw at the FIFA's Home of Football in Zurich on November 20, 2025. beIN Sports will broadcast in France all the matches of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, to the detriment of the Ligue 1+ platform, which had nevertheless reached an agreement with FIFA, AFP learned on February 11, 2026 from several sources close to the matter. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
AKINSINDE ADEOLA OYINDAMOLA
The final two slots for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ will be up for grabs in Mexico on Tuesday, 31 March 2026, when DR Congo face Jamaica at Estadio Guadalajara (15:00 local time). Iraq play Bolivia at Estadio Monterrey (21:00 local time) to complete the line-up for the 48-team tournament, which kicks off on Thursday, 11 June 2026.
Tickets for both matches in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament remain available for sale to the general public at FIFA.com/tickets.
Representing Concacaf, Jamaica booked their place in the first final pathway on Thursday following their 1-0 defeat of New Caledonia in Guadalajara and face a DR Congo side from CAF that qualified automatically for the match based on the strength of their position in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking. The winners of the tie will advance to FIFA World Cup 2026 Group K, which features Colombia, Portugal and tournament debutants Uzbekistan, with six matches penciled in for Atlanta, Guadalajara, Houston (two), Miami and Mexico City.
In the other fixture in Monterrey, CONMEBOL will be represented by Bolivia, who were 2-1 winners over Suriname on Thursday to advance to the second final pathway. They will face Iraq from AFC who, like DR Congo, also advanced automatically for the match thanks to their position in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking. The winners of this pathway will feature in FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I together with France, Norway and Senegal. The matches in this group will take place in Boston (two), New York New Jersey (two), Philadelphia and Toronto, from Tuesday, 16 June 2026 to Friday, 26 June 2026.
The final four slots from Europe’s allocation for the tournament will also be decided earlier on Tuesday, 31 March 2026 as Bosnia and Herzegovina face four-time world champions Italy at home in in Zenica, Czechia host Denmark in Prague, Kosovo play Türkiye in Pristina, while Sweden against Poland takes place in Solna.
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