The road to the FIFA World Cup 2026 is heating up as teams finalize their positions in a series of crucial playoff matches. We’ll see you at the best and most fun tournament in the world! A tournament full of potential, featuring a record 48 teams this time out, as Canada, Mexico and the U.S. prepare to welcome enthusiastic fans from around the globe this June and July.
Italy’s next opponent will be Bosnia, playing on Tuesday. This sudden-death playoff will be no cakewalk and should produce another intense battle for this last, priceless spot in next year’s World Cup. Having missed out on qualifying for the men’s tournament since 2014, this match will be even more special to the Azzurri. Kosovo—a squad that’s never made it to the World Cup—is preparing for a crucial play-in match. First up for them will be Turkiye, a country determined to end their own 21-year World Cup drought.
The Stakes for Italy and Bosnia
Italy’s heavyweight showdown with Bosnia this Saturday is to be played against the backdrop of lofty expectations. For the Italian side, it has been a difficult few years. They’re equally resolute about restoring their place in the world. Despite the pressure, Coach Gennaro Gattuso remained upbeat about his side’s chances going into the must-win match.
“We made life a bit difficult for ourselves, but in the second half we found our rhythm.” – Gennaro Gattuso
It’s the beauty of this thrilling new playoff format. It features all the runners-up to qualifying groups plus teams that performed well in the Nations League. Italy’s return to the World Cup is true to be an historic one for a side that has long been in the upper echelons of the footballing world.
Bosnia will be equally determined to take their chance. Their level of resilience and composure shown by the Bosnian national team throughout their qualifying campaign has been nothing short of superb. This has created an interesting floor fight.
Kosovo and Turkiye: A Battle for Glory
In the other semifinal playoff final, Kosovo will face Turkiye. This upcoming matchup stands to be a defining moment for Kosovo, as they continue to search for their first-ever appearance in a World Cup. After many years of being underdogs, the talented and scrappy team is finally on the cusp of bringing their city a historic championship.
Turkiye has not made it to a men’s World Cup since 2002. At the same time, the national team hopes to redeem itself on the global stage by qualifying for the tournament. No need to sugarcoat it—both teams know what’s on the line in this one. Winning would not just bring them glory, but lift them into football’s pantheon.
Other Noteworthy Playoff Matches
The thrill doesn’t end with Italy and Bosnia or Kosovo and Turkiye. A handful of other World Cup playoff games are in progress that will decide more World Cup participants. Jamaica has one more hurdle to clear, as they’ll take on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in an international playoff. Jamaica has only qualified for one World Cup, way back in 1998. Now the team’s on the cusp of returning to the national spotlight after a generation of underachieving seasons.
Next Tuesday, Bolivia will take on Iraq hoping to make their dream of qualifying for their second ever World Cup come true. In other playoff action, Sweden and Poland square off in a rematch that’s set to be just as tight.
Ukraine is confronted with challenges unlike any as they get ready to play their matches. They just returned home four weeks ago — almost four years after the day when the Russian full-scale invasion forced them to flee. This is illustrative of the tricky geopolitical climate around this year’s qualifiers.
Iran has recently called a boycott of World Cup matches played on U.S. soil. They made clear that they do not intend to fully back out from taking part in the 2026 bonanza. This ruling injects a new, albeit fascinating, wrinkle into the tournament’s ongoing preparations.
