Italy learn 2026 World Cup play-off draw potential rivals

Italy now know that the World Cup play-off semi-final opponent in Thursday’s draw will be one of North Macedonia, Romania, Sweden and Northern Ireland.

The final 2026 World Cup qualifiers in the group stage were completed today, with the 12 winners going straight to the tournament next summer.

They are now confirmed as Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and Scotland.

The draw for the play-offs will be held on Thursday November 20 at 12.00 GMT.

Italy are in Pot 1, which is for the top-seeded European teams in the qualifying group.

In the semi-final, they will face a team from Pot 4, who are the unseeded Nations League teams who failed to get into the play-offs via the European qualifiers.

We already knew that included Romania, Sweden and Northern Ireland, but this evening Wales swept North Macedonia aside 7-1 to secure second place in Group J, and therefore go into Pot 2.

North Macedonia are the team who eliminated Italy from the World Cup play-off semi-final in 2022, while Sweden did it when there was only a one-off game ahead of the 2018 tournament.

If Italy get through the semi-final on March 26, they will face one of the sides from Pot 2 and Pot 3 on March 31.

Pot 1: Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, Denmark

Pot 2: Wales, Slovakia, Poland, Czechia

Pot 3: Republic of Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo

Pot 4: Sweden, Romania, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland