World Cup playoff draw: Date, time and possible Italy opponents

The 2026 World Cup playoff draw will take place on Thursday, November 20, at 13:00 CET, and Italy will be in pot one.

Italy will certainly need to go through the World Cup playoff in March next year as only a victory by nine goals against Norway on Sunday would guarantee direct qualification for the tournament.

As reported by Corriere della Sera, 16 teams will participate in the playoff: the 12 runners-up in the European World Cup qualifying groups and the four best group winners of the 2024-25 Nations League, who have not yet earned direct qualification for the World Cup or have not finished as runners-up.

The draw will take place on Thursday, November 20, at 13:00 CET (12:00 GMT).

There will be a one-legged semifinal and a one-legged final. Italy will get their semifinal opponent from pot 4.

The semifinal will be played at the home of the best-placed team in the FIFA ranking, while the final’s venue will be decided by a draw.

The top three pots in the draw are determined by the FIFA Ranking, which means Italy are at least guaranteed a spot among the four seeded teams and will play the semifinal at home. The fourth and final pot is formed by the Nations League teams.

Currently, with one game remaining, this is how the four pots look.

Pot 1
Italy (9)
Turkey (26)
Poland (33)
Hungary (37)

Pot 2
Scotland (38)
Czech Republic (44)
Slovakoia (46)
Albania (61)

Pot 3
North Macedonia (65)
Iceland (74)
Bosnia & Herzegovina (75)
Kosovo (84)

Pot 4
Wales
Romania
Sweden
Northern Ireland

Wales can still finish as runners-up in their group, which would push them to Pot 1 and Poland to Pot 4, making them a possible Italy opponent.

If the Azzurri qualify for the Final, they will find an opponent from Pot 2 or 3.