With under three months to go until the World Cup, six spots are still open in the 48-team field. By Tuesday night, we’ll know who those six teams are.
Thursday marks the start of the World Cup qualifying playoffs being staged across Mexico and Europe. Mexico will be the home of an intercontinental playoff involving a pair of Concacaf teams and one each from the AFC, the CAF, Conmebol, and the OFC. Across the ocean, 16 teams, several seeking their first-ever World Cup berths, battle it out to become UEFA’s final four representatives.
If you’re wondering how to stream (with several matches in Europe kicking off simultaneously), we’ve got you covered:
Intercontinental Playoff Path A (winner to Group K): New Caledonia/Jamaica winner vs. DR Congo
If you’re planning to see a World Cup match in Atlanta, this will be of interest as the winner of this one faces Uzbekistan at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on June 27, the final day of the group stage. Simply put, it would be a shock for Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake — who is just outside the top 10 in appearances for Jamaica with 92 — and his Reggae Boyz teammates to not come out from among a nation that only just joined FIFA 22 years ago (New Caledonia) or hasn’t been to the World Cup since 1974 (DR Congo).
How to watch New Caledonia vs. Jamaica
Thursday, March 26, 11 p.m. ET
Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
TV: FS1
Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports or FOX One app
How to watch Intercontinental Playoff Path A Final (New Caledonia/Jamaica winner vs. DR Congo)
Tuesday, March 31, 5 p.m. ET
Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
TV: FS1
Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports or FOX One app
Intercontinental Playoff Path B (winner to Group I): Bolivia/Suriname winner vs. Iraq
The other Concacaf team involved in a qualifying playoff is Suriname, which has never been to a World Cup and has beaten the odds to make it this far in the first place. Standing in its way is Bolivia, looking for its first appearance since, ironically, 1994, the last time the tournament was held on U.S. soil. Whoever wins Thursday’s matchup faces Iraq, whose only World Cup appearance came back in 1986.
How to watch Bolivia vs. Suriname
Thursday, March 26, 6 p.m. ET
Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
TV: FS1
Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports or FOX One app
How to watch Intercontinental Playoff Path B Final (Bolivia/Suriname winner vs. Iraq)
Tuesday, March 31, 11 p.m. ET
Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
TV: FS1
Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports or FOX One app
UEFA Path A (winner to Group B): Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy vs. Northern Ireland
The big storyline to watch here is, of course, Italy: 16 years after it won its fourth World Cup, gli Azzurri is on the verge of not qualifying for a third straight time. It’ll have to get past Northern Ireland, looking to get back to the tournament for the first time since 1986. Meanwhile, Wales is looking to make it back-to-back trips for the first time in its history, needing to first win at home against a Bosnia side whose last appearance was in 2014.
How to watch Wales vs. Bosnia
Thursday, March 26, 3:45 p.m. ET
Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff
TV: FS1
Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports or FOX One app
How to watch Italy vs. Northern Ireland
Thursday, March 26, 3:45 p.m. ET
Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo
Streaming: Fubo (click/tap here for free trial)
How to watch the Path A World Cup playoff final
Tuesday, March 31, 3:45 p.m. ET
Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff or Stadion Bilino Polje, Zenica
TV: FS1
Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports or FOX One app
UEFA Path B (winner to Group F): Ukraine vs. Sweden, Poland vs. Albania
Imagine a player as great as Erling Haaland missing out on the World Cup for a second straight time? Sweden are facing that possibility going into the UEFA playoff, but first face a Ukraine side on its quest for its second showing in the tournament. Meanwhile, Poland, who face Albania on Thursday, are looking to ensure a third, and final, World Cup appearance for Robert Lewandowski.
How to watch Ukraine vs. Sweden
Thursday, March 26, 3:45 p.m. ET
Ciutat de Valencia, Valencia
Streaming: Fubo (click/tap here for free trial)
How to watch Poland vs. Albania
Thursday, March 26, 3:45 p.m. ET
National Stadium, Warsaw
TV: FS2
Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports or FOX One app
How to watch the Path B World Cup playoff final
Tuesday, March 31, 3:45 p.m. ET
Estati Ciutat, Valencia or Nationalarenan, Solna
Streaming: Fubo
UEFA Path C (winner to Group D): Türkiye vs. Romania, Slovakia vs. Kosovo
USMNT fans will want to keep an eye on this one as the winner of this path enters Group D. The storyline here involves Kosovo, who’s only been a FIFA member for 10 years but stands two wins away from its first World Cup appearance as a sovereign nation. Meanwhile, Türkiye hasn’t been back since its third-place finish in 2002, while Romania is looking to return for the first time since making it to the Round of 16 in 1998. Meanwhile, Slovakia hasn’t been since 2010, when it made the final 16.
How to watch Türkiye vs. Romania
Thursday, March 26, 1:00 p.m. ET
Tüpraş Stadium, Istanbul
TV: FS2
Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports or FOX One App
How to watch Slovakia vs. Kosovo
Thursday, March 26, 3:45 p.m. ET
Tehelné pole (National Stadium), Bratislava
Streaming: Fubo (click/tap here for free trial)
How to watch the Path C World Cup playoff final (Türkiye/Romania vs. Slovakia/Kosovo)
Tuesday, March 31, 2:45 p.m. ET
Tehelné pole, Bratislava or Fadil Vokrri Stadium, Pristina
Streaming: FOX Soccer Plus
UEFA Path D (winner to Group A): Czechia vs. Republic of Ireland, Denmark vs. Macedonia
Like Path A of the intercontinental playoff, this one will be of interest to those attending World Cup matches in Atlanta. Whoever emerges from this path will face South Africa in Group A action on June 18 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Out of these four countries, Denmark (2022) has been to the World Cup most recently; Czechia’s last trip was in 2006, the Republic of Ireland hasn’t qualified since 2002, and Macedonia (North Macedonia) has never made it as a sovereign nation. (Of interest to MLS fans: Seattle Sounders winger Danny Musovski, a Las Vegas native, is part of the Macedonian roster; his parents are immigrants from the country.)
How to watch Czechia vs. Republic of Ireland
Thursday, March 26, 3:45 p.m. ET
Fortuna Arena, Prague
Streaming: Fubo (click/tap here for free trial)
How to watch Denmark vs. Macedonia
Thursday, March 26, 3:45 p.m. ET
Parken, Copenhagen
Streaming: Fubo (click/tap here for free trial)
How to watch the Path D World Cup playoff final (Czechia/Republic of Ireland vs. Denmark/Macedonia)
Tuesday, March 31, 3:45 p.m. ET
Stadion Letná, Prague or Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Streaming: Fubo
| Get Atlanta United and NWSL Atlanta training ground updates, audio and video content you won’t see anywhere else, Discord access, and more. Support us on Patreon and help support independent soccer coverage here in Atlanta! Click here to start a 7-day free trial. |