UEFA play-off finals: Four matches that will decide Europe’s World Cup spots

It’s crunch time in the UEFA qualifiers as eight European nations battle it out for the four remaining spots at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

With the final tickets to this summer’s tournament set to be stamped early next week, tension is reaching fever pitch as Europe’s hopefuls prepare for their defining moment.

The stakes are at an all-time high as eight teams, including four-time world champions Italy and potential debutants Kosovo, gear up for the play-off finals.

Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Italy

Edin Dzeko rolled back the years to help Bosnia & Herzegovina overcome Wales in the play-off semi-finals at the Cardiff City Stadium, although they still had to survive a penalty shootout to set up this tie.

Potentially 90 minutes away from reaching only their second World Cup as an independent nation, Sergej Barbarez’s charges must defy the odds as they entertain four-time world champions Italy in Zenica.

Sandro Tonali emerged as the nation’s hero in the semi-finals, delivering a match-winning performance in a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland to highlight why Manchester United want him (via ChronicleLive).

Tonali’s heroics in Bergamo brought the Azzurri to the brink of their first World Cup appearance since 2014. However, they cannot afford to take anything for granted after failing to navigate their last two play-off campaigns.

Czechia vs Denmark

What Czechia did in their semi-final clash against the Republic of Ireland was nothing short of spectacular, as they bounced back from a two-goal deficit to force penalties and eventually secure a place in the final.

Desperate to return to the most prestigious international tournament for the first time since 2006, Miroslav Koubek’s side are up against a bogey opposition in this mouth-watering Prague showdown.

The Czechs haven’t beaten Denmark in seven consecutive meetings, including a 2-1 defeat in their most recent encounter at the 2020 European Championship.

History beckons for the heavily fancied Danes, who could secure a third consecutive World Cup qualification for the first time after a 4-0 thrashing of North Macedonia in the semi-finals.

Kosovo vs Turkey

Kosovo stunned Slovakia with a thrilling 4-3 semi-final victory, booking their place in the final against all expectations.

Riding a wave of confidence after that dramatic triumph, Franco Foda’s side will believe they can pull off another upset as they chase a historic first-ever World Cup appearance.

However, star-studded Turkey stand in their way with momentum of their own after squeaking past Romania in the semi-finals, courtesy of Ferdi Kadioglu’s second-half winner.

With both sides just one win away from the North American showpiece, this high-stakes fixture promises fireworks, as Kosovo look to continue their fairytale run against the battle-hardened Crescent-Stars.

Sweden vs Poland

Viktor Gyokeres soaked up the limelight as Sweden’s saviour in the semi-finals, notching his first international hat-trick to inspire them to a 3-1 win over Ukraine.

Graham Potter’s men face a ‘make or break’ tie against Poland, looking to avoid the ignominy of missing out on back-to-back World Cup finals for the second time in the 21st century.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus’ representatives were in Warsaw to scout Barcelona veteran Robert Lewandowski, as Poland fought back from a half-time deficit to beat Albania 2-1 on Thursday.

Lewandowski initiated the comeback with a towering header before Piotr Zielinski completed the turnaround to put Jan Urban’s team within touching distance of this summer’s showpiece.

Sweden should have a substantial psychological advantage, having won seven successive matches against Poland before a 2-0 defeat in the last World Cup play-off final.