Lottery to be drawn on November 26: Turkey, headed by national coach Stefan Kuntz, will also participate in the World Cup play-offs.
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After qualifying group matches in Europe, twelve teams will compete in a play-off tournament for the remaining three tickets to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Who will be in the play-offs?

For the play-offs, the ten runners-up and two best group winners of the 2020/21 UEFA Nations League, who did not finish in one of the first two places in their World Cup qualifying group, will qualify.

The play-off participants are: Portugal, Italy, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, Poland, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Wales, Turkey, Austria (via the Nations League), Czech Republic (via the Nations League).

When is the play-off draw?

The draw for the playoffs for the European World Cup qualification will take place on Friday. 26. November 2021 (5 p.m.), in Zurich.

How do play-offs work?

twelve teams competition three play-off ways (A, B and C) each with two semi-finals and one final (except in the second leg). The winners of these three paths qualify for the World Cup.

How’s the play-off draw going?

The six best runners-up in the group are placed in Pot 1 and thus have home rights to the semi-finals. The remaining six nations go to Pot 2.

First, the teams in Pot 1 are sent to the semi-finals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 as the home teams during the draw.

The team drawn first will host Semi-Final No. 1, then the drawn team will host Semi-Final No. 2, and so on. It’s the same with the teams in pot number 2.

Semi-finals No. 1 and 2 belong to play-off path A, semi-finals No. 3 and 4 to play-off path B and semi-finals 5 and 6 to play-off path C.

Way A:
Semi-Final 1: Team Pot 1 – Team Pot 2
Semi-Final 2: Team Pot 1 – Team Pot 2
Way B:
Semi-Final 3: Team Pot 1 – Team Pot 2
Semi-Final 4: Team Pot 1 – Team Pot 2
way C:
Semi-Final 5: Team Pot 1 – Team Pot 2
Semifinal 6: Team Pot 1 – Team Pot 2

Much is determined by who has home rights in the three finals.

What do pots look like in a play-off draw?

Pot 1: Portugal, Scotland, Italy, Russia, Sweden, Wales

Pot 2: Turkey, Poland, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Austria, Czech Republic

Portugal and Italy may not face each other in the semi-finals. However, a clash in the final would be possible in the event of an unfavorable draw.

After UEFA’s decision, Ukraine and Russia could not be pitted against each other for political reasons.

Where can the play-offs be watched live on TV?

DAZN broadcasts all six semi-finals and three finals – a total of nine play-off games – live and exclusively.

When are the play-offs?

Play-off semi-finals: Thursday 24 March 2022
Play-off final: Tuesday 29 March 2022
Kick-off time will be determined after the draw

Read also:
Schedule: Most important dates till 2022 World Cup
Overview: These teams have already qualified for the World Cup