Bolivia secure World Cup play-off spot, find out how the play-off works | OneFootball

Bolivia defeated Brazil this Tuesday (09) and finished seventh in the World Cup Qualifiers playoff

The South American Qualifiers for the World Cup have ended. This Tuesday (09), only the seventh position was at stake, which guarantees a spot in the World Cup playoff. With Bolivia's 1-0 victory over Brazil, combined with Venezuela's loss to Colombia, the Bolivians keep their dream of playing in the World Cup alive—a feat that hasn't happened since 1994. See what the next steps are for the teams that will play in the qualifying knockout stage.

Who plays in the World Cup intercontinental playoff?

In addition to Bolivia, representing South America, New Caledonia represents Oceania in the playoff. Thus, two teams from North and Central America, one from Asia, and one from Africa still need to be determined. Out of these six countries, only two will play in the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

And how does it work?

First, the teams will be divided into two groups. The two highest-ranked teams in the FIFA ranking will be seeded. That leaves four teams, who will play a kind of semifinal with the matchups drawn at random. The winner of each match will then face one of the higher-ranked teams that were initially set aside.

And what about the Europeans?

In the Old Continent, the race for a spot in the 2026 World Cup will have its own playoff format. The European teams that finish first in their respective Qualifying groups go directly to the World Cup.

For the teams that finish second, the competition continues. The 12 best runners-up, along with the four highest-ranked teams in the FIFA ranking who won their Nations League groups and have not yet qualified, will compete for the remaining four spots through a playoff.

Who is already in the World Cup?

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.