15.10.2025 12:39
The Turkish National Team will participate in the playoff round of the 2026 World Cup if it finishes second in Group E. It is highly likely that Turkey will be placed in Pot 1, which will reduce the risk of facing strong opponents. Among the potential rivals, Sweden, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, and Moldova stand out, while the playoff semifinals will be played in March 2026. Here are the details...
The Turkish National Football Team gained a significant advantage on the road to the 2026 World Cup by defeating Georgia 4-1 in Kocaeli. If the Crescent-Stars team finishes second in Group E, it will participate in the play-off round, which will include the second-placed teams from the European qualifiers and four teams from the UEFA Nations League.
In the play-off round, a total of 16 teams will compete in a single-match semi-final and final format. The semi-finals will be held from March 26-28, 2026, and the final matches will take place from March 29-31, 2026. The four winning countries will receive World Cup tickets from the European continent.
TURKEY MAY BE IN POT 1
According to the current points situation, the Turkish National Team's chance of being in Pot 1 is evaluated at 95%. In this scenario, Turkey will play the first round at home, significantly reducing the likelihood of facing strong teams. Turkey, which is in Pot 1, will face one of the teams coming from Pot 4 in the first match.
POSSIBLE POTS AND OPPONENTS
Pot 4 (Possible opponents in the first round):
- Sweden
- North Macedonia
- Northern Ireland
- Moldova
Pot 2 (Teams we may face in the final stage):
- Poland
- Scotland
- Hungary
- Czech Republic
Pot 3 (Other possible opponents in the final stage):
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Albania
According to this scenario, Turkey will be away from the risk of facing strong teams like Italy, Ukraine, and Wales.
CURRENT POSSIBLE PLAY-OFF PARTICIPANTS
If the Turkish National Team finishes second in Group E of the 2026 World Cup European Qualifiers, the current table shows the following opponents:
Teams participating from the UEFA Nations League:
- Wales
- Romania
- Sweden
- Northern Ireland
Second-placed teams from the European qualifiers:
- Slovakia
- Kosovo
- Scotland
- Ukraine
- Hungary
- Poland
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Italy
- North Macedonia
- Albania
- Czech Republic