Two of the final remaining tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be decided when a high-stakes playoff tournament kicks off in Mexico on Thursday, featuring six teams from across the globe.
New Caledonia, Suriname, Jamaica, Bolivia, Iraq, and the Democratic Republic of Congo form a diverse group of hopefuls, each competing for one of the two berths available for the expanded 48-team finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The mini-tournament, taking place in Guadalajara and Monterrey, also serves as a test run for the two cities, which will host World Cup matches in June, giving Mexican organisers a chance to demonstrate readiness amid recent security concerns.
The straight knockout playoffs begin Thursday, with New Caledonia facing the “Reggae Boyz” of Jamaica in Guadalajara. The winner will then meet DR Congo on March 31, with a World Cup spot on the line. The victor will join Group K alongside Colombia, Portugal, and Uzbekistan.
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In Monterrey, Bolivia, aiming for their first World Cup appearance since 1994, will face Suriname. The winner will advance to a decisive clash against Iraq for the second available berth. That team will enter Group I alongside France, Norway, and Senegal.
Iraq, DR Congo favourites
On paper, and according to the latest FIFA rankings, Iraq and DR Congo are the favourites to progress from the playoffs.
Iraq’s preparations have been disrupted by the outbreak of war in the Middle East following US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Iraq coach Graham Arnold requested FIFA postpone the team’s playoff, citing players and staff stranded due to the conflict. Many eventually traveled overland to Jordan and flew from Amman to reach Mexico.
Iraq are chasing only their second World Cup appearance, having previously qualified in 1986 in Mexico, where they lost all three group matches against Paraguay, Belgium, and the host nation.
For DR Congo, the wait for a second World Cup finals appearance has been even longer, making this playoff a crucial opportunity to return to football’s biggest stage.