A total of 32 teams from across the globe will descend on Qatar in 2022 to compete in the World Cup.
With qualification groups concluding, there are a small number of places left to be decided through play-offs.
GOAL brings you everything you need to know about the World Cup 2022 play-off draw.
When was the World Cup 2022 play-off draw?
The draw for the UEFA World Cup 2022 play-offs was held on Friday November 26, 2021. Draw proceedings started at 4pm GMT (11am ET).
The play-off draw took place 10 days after the final European group stage qualifiers, which concluded on November 16.
It was held at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
Which teams are in the World Cup 2022 play-offs?
Team | Seeded or unseeded? |
|---|---|
Portugal | Seeded |
Scotland | Seeded |
Italy | Seeded |
Russia | Seeded |
Sweden | Seeded |
Wales | Seeded |
Turkey | Unseeded |
Poland | Unseeded |
North Macedonia | Unseeded |
Ukraine | Unseeded |
Austria | Unseeded (via Nations League) |
Czech Republic | Unseeded (via Nations League) |
A total of 12 teams from UEFA compete in the World Cup 2022 play-offs.
The 10 World Cup qualification group runners-up are joined by the best two UEFA Nations League group winners who did not finish in the top two of the World Cup qualification stage.
These 12 teams are divided into three four-team paths, with each path consisting of semi-finals and a final. The winners of the three finals advance to the World Cup.
The top six qualifying group runners-up were seeded for the draw while the remaining six teams were unseeded.
See here for how the European qualifiers work.
Learn more about the World Cup 2022 qualified teams here.
How to watch the World Cup 2022 play-off draw
FIFA streamed the draw live on its official website and it was also broadcast on TV.
Watch the draw back on YouTube here
When do the World Cup 2022 play-offs take place?
Play-off stage | Date |
|---|---|
Semi-finals | March 24 / March 25 |
Finals | March 28 / March 29 |
The European play-offs for World Cup 2022 will be played at the end of March 2022.
The play-off semi-final games will be contested on March 24 and 25, with the finals taking place on March 28 or 29.
What about the inter-confederation play-offs?
As well as UEFA's play-offs, there are inter-confederation play-offs to decide the last two spots at the World Cup.
The inter-confederation play-offs involve four teams from CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, AFC and OFC. The teams contest a two-legged tie in order to decide who progresses to the group stage of the tournament.
The inter-confederation play-offs for World Cup 2022 will be played in Qatar on June 13 and 14. The AFC fourth round winner will compete against the fifth-placed team from the CONMEBOL section, while the CONCACAF third-round fourth-place team will play a team from OFC.
What about the CAF World Cup 2022 play-offs?
The final stage of the CAF World Cup 2022 qualification features the 10 group winners from the second round.
These teams are drawn into five ties, with home and away legs, and the five winners advance to the World Cup.
The CAF play-off fixtures will be played in March 2022.
The 10 qualified teams and fixtures can be seen in the table below.
Group | Team |
|---|---|
A | Algeria |
B | Tunisia |
C | Nigeria |
D | Cameroon |
E | Mali |
F | Egypt |
G | Ghana |
H | Senegal |
I | Morocco |
J | DR Congo |
CAF 2022 World Cup qualification fixtures
Fixture | First leg | Second leg |
Egypt vs Senegal | March 24-26 | March 27-29 |
Cameroon vs Algeria | March 24-26 | March 27-29 |
Ghana vs Nigeria | March 24-26 | March 27-29 |
DR Congo vs Morocco | March 24-26 | March 27-29 |
Mali vs Tunisia | March 24-26 | March 27-29 |
How does it work for AFC qualifiers?
The AFC delivers four automatic qualifiers to the World Cup from two groups, with the top two teams in each group progressing to the final stage of the tournament.
Then, the two third-placed teams face off in a play-off game in order to earn a place in the inter-conderation play-offs (see above).
The final AFC group matches will be played in March 2022, with the AFC play-off set for May or June 2022.