A total of 32 teams from across the globe will descend on Qatar in 2022 to compete in the World Cup.
With qualification groups concluding, there are a small number of places left to be decided through play-offs.
GOAL brings you everything you need to know about the World Cup 2022 play-off draw.
When is the World Cup 2022 play-off draw?
The draw for the UEFA World Cup 2022 play-offs will be held on Friday November 26, 2021. Draw proceedings start at 4pm GMT (11am ET).
The play-off draw takes place 10 days after the final European group stage qualifiers, which conclude on November 16.
It will be held at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
Which teams are in the World Cup 2022 play-offs?
| Team | Seeded or unseeded? |
|---|---|
| Portugal | Seeded |
| Scotland | Seeded |
| Italy | Seeded |
| Russia | Seeded |
| Sweden | Seeded |
| Wales | Seeded |
| Turkey | Unseeded |
| Poland | Unseeded |
| North Macedonia | Unseeded |
| Ukraine | Unseeded |
| Austria | Unseeded (via Nations League) |
| Czech Republic | Unseeded (via Nations League) |
A total of 12 teams from UEFA compete in the World Cup 2022 play-offs.
The 10 World Cup qualification group runners-up are joined by the best two UEFA Nations League group winners who did not finish in the top two of the World Cup qualification stage.
These 12 teams are divided into three four-team paths, with each path consisting of semi-finals and a final. The winners of the three finals advance to the World Cup.
The top six qualifying group runners-up will be seeded for the draw while the remaining six teams will be unseeded.
Learn more about the World Cup 2022 qualified teams here.
How to watch the World Cup 2022 play-off draw
FIFA will be streaming the draw live on its official website and it will also be broadcast on TV.
When do the World Cup 2022 play-offs take place?
| Play-off stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Semi-finals | March 24 / March 25 |
| Finals | March 28 / March 29 |
The European play-offs for World Cup 2022 will be played at the end of March 2022.
The play-off semi-final games will be contested on March 24 and 25, with the finals taking place on March 28 or 29.
What about the inter-confederation play-offs?
As well as UEFA’s play-offs, there are inter-confederation play-offs to decide the last two spots at the World Cup.
The inter-confederation play-offs involve four teams from CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, AFC and OFC.
The teams contest a two-legged tie in order to decide who progresses to the group stage of the tournament.
