Category Archives: 2026 FIFA World Cup

FIFA Legends Ronaldo, Totti, Stoichkov, and Lalas will assist in unveiling the revised match schedule.

2026 FIFA World Cup, Italian National Team

FIFA legends Ronaldo Nazário, Francesco Totti, Hristo Stoichkov, and Alexis Lalas will assist in unveiling the updated FIFA World Cup 2026™. The reveal is on Saturday, 6 December 2025. FIFA will announce the venues and kick-off times for the World Cup.

Andrés Cantor will serve as the host of the revised match schedule for the inaugural 48-team, 104-match FIFA World Cup™.

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The following legends will join FIFA President Gianni Infantino:

✅   Ronaldo Nazário, who won the FIFA World Cup in 1994 and 2002 with Brazil.

✅   Francesco Totti, who won the FIFA World Cup in 2006 with Italy.

✅   Bulgarian football legend Hristo Stoichkov, a joint top scorer at the 1994 FIFA World Cup™ in the United States.

✅   American football star Alexis Lalas,  one of the most memorable players from the 1994 edition.

The updated schedule comes after the eagerly awaited Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Washington DC on Friday, 5 December 2025. This event confirmed 12 thrilling groups of four for the upcoming tournament.

Nevertheless, the final version of the match schedule will be released in March, following the completion of the FIFA and European play-off tournaments, which will fill the last six slots.

#FIFAWorldCup #FIFAWorldCup2026

2026 FIFA World Cup Draw, latest matches, groups, and schedule

2026 FIFA World Cup, Draw 2026

. 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw, latest matches, groups, and schedule

The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup occurred on Friday, December 5, 2025, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The subsequent 42 nations are in the final draw:

Co-hosts: Canada, Mexico, USA

AFC: Australia, IR Iran, Japan, Jordan, Korea Republic, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan
CAF: Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Concacaf: Curaçao, Haiti, Panama
CONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
OFC: New Zealand
UEFA: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland

Remaining spots

Six of the 48 teams participating in the FIFA World Cup 2026 remain to be determined.   The final selections will be announced in March 2026.

Related article: 2026 World Cup Playoff Draw

The current scenario is as follows: Four teams will qualify from the 16-team UEFA play-offs, which will feature Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, Denmark, Italy, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, North Macedonia, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Türkiye, Ukraine, and Wales.

The remaining two positions will be contested by six teams:  Bolivia, Congo DR, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia, and Suriname – during the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Play-Off Tournament.

#FIFAWorldCup #FIFAWorldCup2026

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Pots and procedures

The teams representing the host countries will be assigned to positions A1 (Mexico), B1 (Canada) and D1 (USA), as per the match schedule released last year.

The full list of pots is as follows:

Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany

. Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia

Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa

Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Off A, B, C and D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 and 2

The draw will begin with all the teams from pot 1 being drawn to groups A to L.  Then, it will continue with pots 2, 3, and 4 in that order.

✅  Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, Winner UEFA Play-off D

✅  Group B: Canada, Winner UEFA Play-off A, Qatar,
Switzerland

✅  Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

✅  Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Winner UEFA Play-off C

✅  Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador

✅  Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Winner UEFA Play-off B, Tunisia

✅  Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

✅  Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

✅  Group I: France, Senegal, Winner FIFA Play-off 2, Norway

✅  Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

✅  Group K: Portugal, Winner FIFA Play-off 1, Uzbekistan, Colombia

✅  Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

Photo via x.com/FIFAWorldCup

Today’s Front Pages Friday 5 December 2025: La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport, and Tutto Sport

2026 FIFA World Cup, AC Milan, ACF Fiorentina, AS Roma, Atalanta, Bologna, Como, Coppa Italia Tim, Front Pages Newspapers, Inter Milan, Italian National Team, Juventus, Lazio, SSC Napoli, Torino FC, Udinese

Today’s Front Pages Friday 5 December 2025: La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport, and Tutto Sport
Today’s Front Pages 12/05/2025 – Sports Headlines Newspapers in Italy – Prime Pagine Quotidiani


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✅   Greetings, my friends!  I present to you the latest front pages from the Italian newspapers La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport, and Tutto Sport, dated Friday 5 December 2025.
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Today’s Front Page La Gazzetta dello Sport, Friday 5 December 2025

👉In Washington (at 8:00) in front of Trump
The World Cup draw is on
Italy is an X

We’re in pot four; if we advance, we’re in big trouble.

👉Lazio wins 1-0 and advances to the quarterfinals
Coppa Italia Round of 16
AC Milan
What a shock

Leao misses, Zaccagni scores
Sarri gets his revenge
Allegri: “It was our goal.”
Bologna advances: 2-1 against Parma

👉Napoli-Juve Sunday
Dangerous clash
Spalletti returns to the Maradona and Conte also loses Lobotka

👉Tomorrow Inter-Como
Diouf promoted
Chivu considers reconfirmation

👉There are 10,001 torchbearers
The flame has arrived
The Olympic torch from Mattarella
Now it will tour the country

👉Goodbye Bocchi
Divine Mabel
She changed basketball and Italian sports.

Front Page La Gazzetta dello Sport, Friday 5 December 2025

Today’s Front Page Corriere dello Sport, Friday 5 December 2025

👉Sunday, Napoli vs. Juve: the first competitive match between the two
Lucio, meet Conte

Spalletti returns to the stadium where he won 33 years after Diego, without Bremer, Gatti, and Vlahovic.
Antonio also loses Lobotka: he has seven absences.

👉Coppa Italia
Zaccagni decisive: Bologna in the quarterfinals
Zac, Max out
Lazio masterpiece: Milan goes home

Tavares’ corner and the captain’s header: the turning point comes in the 80th minute.
Mandas saves from Pulisic
Maignan super saves from Noslin

👉Castro enters and celebrates: Parma eliminated (2-1)

👉The group stage draw takes place today in Washington (at 18).
Let’s discover the World Cup of your dreams.

👉An extra weapon for Chivu
Inter, Diouf surprises

Change of pace and dribbling: it’s also a solution against Como

👉Gasp wants Yuri Alberto
Roma, opportunity in Brazil

Corinthians is in debt and must sell the striker.

Front Page Corriere dello Sport, Friday 5 December 2025

Photo: twitter.com/ItalianSerieA

Today’s Front Page Tutto Sport, Friday 5 December 2025

👉Zaccagni avenges the San Siro night: 1-0
Lazio’s venom knocks out Milan

A lethal headbutt in the 80th minute, having squandered the lead moments earlier.
In the quarterfinals, Sarri finds Italiano. Allegri: “It’s a shame, now let’s focus on Torino.”

👉 Vlahovic undergoes surgery in London: Juve will have him back in the spring. His teammates’ message: “We’re waiting for you.”
“A grand finale with Dusan.”

The Serbian player has been overwhelmed by an outpouring of affection: the hope is to be back in mid-March with the Scudetto dream still alive. Gatti also undergoes surgery: out for 40 days. Spalletti tries a four-man defense, Mario Rui praises him: “The Napoli triumph is 80% his.”

👉Napoli without seven players
Conte also loses Lobotka

McTominay, Elmas, and Vergara are the only midfielders available for Sunday’s big match against Juventus

👉January offer
Toro, do you want Maldini on loan?

The underused playmaker at Atalanta is looking for a team that will give him more playing time: the Granata are among the possible options.

👉At 18, we’ll find out our potential rivals.
World Cup Draw
Italy is an X …

👉Gallinari confesses after retiring
“Me, the NBA’s ciccione. They sang ‘L’Italiano’ to me…”

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Photo: twitter.com/ItalianSerieA
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UEFA and Inter-confederation playoffs set for march 2026

Qualifiers 2026

The path to the 2026 World Cup is beginning to take shape, with 22 teams still vying for six remaining tournament spots. FIFA has structured the playoffs into two separate competitions, one exclusively for UEFA nations. This 16-team event will determine four qualifiers for the World Cup through single-leg semifinals and finals scheduled across Europe in March 2026.

 

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Among the most anticipated matchups, Italy will host Northern Ireland in a clash of historic significance. The four-time World Cup winners have once again missed out on direct qualification, following their absences in both 2018 and 2022, despite lifting the Euro 2020 trophy in between. The victor of this fixture will then face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina, who meet in another one-legged semifinal. Wales enter the playoffs in strong form after their emphatic 7–1 win over North Macedonia, and home advantage could play a key role in their campaign.

Elsewhere, the Republic of Ireland has been drawn against Czechia in Path D, avoiding a potential early encounter with Italy or Wales. Should they progress, they may face Denmark, who narrowly missed automatic qualification and will meet North Macedonia in the other semifinal of Path D. Dublin is expected to host the Path D final, giving the Irish a potential home boost in the decisive clash.

Sweden, despite possessing considerable attacking talent, scraped into the playoffs through their Nations League performance. They face Ukraine in a semifinal in Path B, with the winner set to play either Poland or Albania on home soil. Paths A and C will see fixtures including Türkiye vs. Romania and Slovakia vs. Kosovo, each producing a qualifier through a single-match final on March 31, 2026.

Inter-confederation playoffs to take place in Mexico

The remaining two World Cup berths will be decided through a separate inter-confederation tournament hosted in Mexico, involving DR Congo, Bolivia, New Caledonia, Iraq, Jamaica, and Suriname. These matches will be held in Guadalajara and Monterrey in March 2026.

Jamaica, currently without a permanent manager following the exit of Steve McClaren, will meet OFC nation New Caledonia in their semifinal. The winner will face DR Congo in the final for one of the two available spots. Meanwhile, Bolivia will take on Suriname, who are bidding for their first-ever World Cup appearance. Iraq waits to meet the winner of that semifinal, with a place in North America at stake for the victor.

The inter-confederation format ensures that teams from different continents compete directly for qualification. Both semifinals and finals are scheduled to be single-leg matches, providing a high-pressure environment where every result counts. With two separate venues in Mexico, organizers aim to stage a compact and decisive playoff series ahead of next summer’s expanded tournament.

Key fixtures and dates to watch

The UEFA playoffs kick off on March 26, 2026, with eight semifinals taking place across four paths. Italy vs. Northern Ireland and Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina headline Path A, while Ukraine vs. Sweden and Poland vs. Albania dominate Path B. Path C features Türkiye vs. Romania and Slovakia vs. Kosovo, and Path D concludes the first round with Denmark vs. North Macedonia and Czechia vs. the Republic of Ireland.

All UEFA finals are set for March 31, 2026, providing clarity on the European qualifiers ahead of the tournament. In Mexico, exact dates are still to be confirmed for the inter-confederation semifinals and finals, but all matches are expected to occur within the same month.

With six World Cup spots still up for grabs, March 2026 promises to deliver thrilling, high-stakes football, determining the last nations to join the 2026 World Cup lineup.

2026 World Cup Playoff Draw

2026 FIFA World Cup, Italian National Team
  • 2026 World Cup Playoff Draw, Thursday, 20 November, 2025

The playoff draw for the 2026 World Cup took place on Thursday, 20 November 2025. Italy is set to compete against Northern Ireland. The eight semi-final matchups for the FIFA World Cup 2026 European play-offs have been established. A potential pathway to the final tournament has been outlined for all 16 participating nations. Italy must not have any excuses and should achieve the goal of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

Below are all the playoff semifinal matches.

🇮🇹   Italy vs. Northern Ireland
Ukraine vs. Sweden
Turkey vs. Romania
Denmark vs. North Macedonia
Wales vs. Bosnia
Poland vs. Albania
Slovakia vs. Kosovo
Czech Republic vs. Ireland

Who is Italy competing against in the World Cup Playoff

In the play-offs, Italy will face Northern Ireland, with the match scheduled for March 26, 2026, at home. The winner will then play away on March 31 against either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Photo via x.com/Azzurri

The pairings for the finals.

Italy/Northern Ireland – Wales/Bosnia
Ukraine/Sweden – Poland/Albania
Turkey/Romania – Slovakia/Kosovo
Denmark/North Macedonia – Czech Republic/Ireland

How do the World Cup Playoffs function?

The playoffs are conducted as single-leg knockout matches, with the four victors advancing to the final tournament hosted in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The World Cup is scheduled to occur from Thursday, June 11, 2026, to Sunday, July 19, 2026.

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What are the World Cup 2026 European play-off ties?

Dates: Semi-finals (26 March 2026)
Time:  Kick-offs 20:45 CET unless stated

Path A
SF1: Italy vs Northern Ireland
SF2: Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina

Path B
SF3: Ukraine vs Sweden
SF4: Poland vs Albania

  • Path C
    SF5: Türkiye vs Romania (18:00 CET)
    SF6: Slovakia vs Kosovo

Path D
SF7: Denmark vs North Macedonia
SF8: Czechia vs Republic of Ireland

Finals (31 March 2026)

Path A: Wales / Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy / Northern Ireland

  • Path B: Ukraine / Sweden vs Poland / Albania

Path C: Slovakia / Kosovo vs Türkiye / Romania

Path D: Czechia / Republic of Ireland vs Denmark / North Macedonia

Photo source: uefa.com