Two remaining World Cup spots will be decided when a high-stakes playoff tournament gets underway in Mexico on Thursday, featuring six national teams from different regions competing for the final two places at this year’s expanded 48-team finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The contenders, New Caledonia, Suriname, Jamaica, Bolivia, Iraq, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, will battle across venues in Guadalajara and Monterrey, with both cities also acting as test hosts ahead of the main tournament in June.
The knockout format begins on Thursday in Guadalajara, where New Caledonia face Jamaica in the opening clash.
The winner will advance to meet the Democratic Republic of Congo on March 31, with a World Cup qualification ticket on the line.
The successful side from that pathway will join Group K alongside Colombia, Portugal, and Uzbekistan.
In the other bracket in Monterrey, Bolivia, aiming for their first World Cup appearance since 1994, take on Suriname, a former Dutch colony on South America’s northeastern coast.
The winner of that tie will progress to a decisive playoff against Iraq next week, with the second qualification slot at stake. The team that comes through this route will enter Group I, where France, Norway, and Senegal await.
– Iraq, DR Congo seen as favourites –
On paper, based on current FIFA rankings, Iraq and the Democratic Republic of Congo are regarded as the strongest contenders to advance from the playoffs.
Iraq’s build-up has been disrupted by conflict in the Middle East following US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which affected travel and preparations for players and staff.
Head coach Graham Arnold had initially urged FIFA to postpone Iraq’s participation, citing logistical challenges that left some team members stranded.
However, players and staff based in Baghdad eventually managed to leave the country, reportedly travelling by road to Jordan before flying from Amman to Mexico.
Iraq are chasing only their second-ever World Cup appearance, having previously featured at the 1986 edition in Mexico, where they lost all three group matches against Paraguay, Belgium, and Mexico.
For DR Congo, formerly known as Zaire, the wait has been even longer. Their only World Cup appearance came in 1974 in Germany, where they exited in the group stage without scoring, losing to Scotland, Yugoslavia, and Brazil.
However, DR Congo arrive in strong form after a successful African qualifying campaign that included notable victories over Cameroon and Nigeria to reach the playoffs.
The tournament is being staged just weeks after violent unrest in parts of Mexico, including Guadalajara, following the killing of a suspected cartel leader, which led to widespread clashes.
Despite the security concerns, Mexican authorities and FIFA have insisted the situation will not affect World Cup preparations.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has confirmed that more than 100,000 security personnel will be deployed to ensure safety across tournament venues, as Mexico prepares to host 13 World Cup matches in Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Mexico City.
