2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)

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2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
Tournament details
Dates2 September 2024 – March 2025
Teams11 (from 1 confederation)
2022
2030

The Oceanian section of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification process is expected to take place from September 2024 to March 2025. The 2026 tournament is the 16th edition of Oceanian qualifiers and marks the first time OFC has a direct qualification slot into the FIFA World Cup. [1]

Contents

Format

All eleven nations are expected to enter qualification.

The qualification structure is as follows:

Entrants

All 11 OFC members affiliated with FIFA are expected to enter qualification.

Schedule

The schedule of the competition is as follows.

RoundMatchdayDateVenue(s)
First round Matchday 12–10 September 2024Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa
Matchday 2
Second round Matchday 17–15 October 2024Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand and Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu
Matchday 211–19 November 2024Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand and Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea
Matchday 3
Third round Semi-finalsMarch 2025
FinalMarch 2025

The inter-confederation play-offs will be scheduled to be played in March 2026.

First round

The draw for the first round will occur in July 2024 and matches will be played 2–10 September 2024 in Samoa. [2] The four lowest-ranked teams will compete in a knockout series, and the winner will advance to join the seven highest-ranked teams in the second round. [3]

Bracket

 
Matchday 1Matchday 2
 
      
 
September 2024
 
 
Team 1
 
September 2024
 
Team 2
 
Winner Match 1
 
September 2024
 
Winner Match 2
 
Team 3
 
 
Team 4
 

Matchday 1

v
v

Matchday 2

The winner advances to the second round.

v

Second round

The second round will take place from 7 October to 19 November 2024 with two groups of four teams playing in a league format. [3] Matches will be played in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu. [2]

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualificationA1A2A3A4
1A100000000Advance to the third round
2A200000000
3A300000000
4A400000000
First match(es) will be played: October 2024. Source: OFC

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualificationB1B2B3B4
1B100000000Advance to the third round
2B200000000
3B300000000
4B400000000
First match(es) will be played: October 2024. Source: OFC

Third round

The third round is expected to take place March 2025. The winner will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the runner-up will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs. [1]

Bracket

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
March 2025
 
 
Team 1
 
March 2025
 
Team 2
 
Winner Semi-final 1
 
March 2025
 
Winner Semi-final 2
 
Team 3
 
 
Team 4
 

Semi-finals

v
v

Final

The winner qualifies for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The runner-up advances to the inter-confederation play-offs.

v

Inter-confederation play-offs

The runner up team will join one team each from AFC, CAF, and CONMEBOL and two from CONCACAF in the inter-confederation play-offs. The teams will be ranked according to the FIFA Men's World Ranking, with the four lowest-ranked teams playing in two single-elimination matches. The winners will meet the two highest-ranked teams in another set of single-elimination matches, with the winners of these matches qualifying for the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Road to the FIFA World Cup 26 set to begin". FIFA. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 "OFC Competition Calendars Confirmed for 2024". Oceania Football Confederation. December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Journey to historic FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off in South America". FIFA. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  4. "Bureau of the Council recommends slot allocation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup". FIFA. 30 March 2017. Archived from the original on 19 June 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2023.