The format of the Intercontinental play-off stage of the WC-2026 qualification is the announcement level

The format of the Intercontinental play-off stage of the WC-2026 qualification is the announcement level

For the 2026 World Cup, AFC has been allocated 8+1 tickets, and the 9th team from Asia will compete against CONMEBOL, one from Africa and Oceania, and 2 from CONCACAF to qualify for the World Cup.
The intercontinental playoff stage is controlled by one of the hosts of the World Cup in 2025 - the USA, Mexico or Canada. The 6 national teams participating in the tournament are divided into pairs based on their place in the FIFA ranking. The 2 winning national teams will go to the final stage of the WC-2026.