The European play-offs in stats
Ibrahimovic, Lewandowski, Mijatovic, Potter, Ronaldo and Sakho feature as FIFA spotlights the European play-offs and the numbers behind them.
The European play-offs for the World Cup 2026 start on 26 March
Sixteen nations will battle for one of four available spots
Read on for a selection of the best stats from previous play-offs
Robert Lewandowski enters the FIFA World Cup 2026™ play-offs as the seventh-most capped European of all time. The striker has made a staggering 163 appearances for Poland, and trails only Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Buffon, Iker Casillas and Vitalijs Astafjevs in the standings. His 88 goals puts him third on the continent's scoring charts, behind Ronaldo on 143 and Romelu Lukaku with 89.
Wales, who will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the semi-final of Path A, secured victories over Austria and Ukraine in the Qatar 2022 play-offs to qualify for their first World Cup in 64 years – the biggest gap between successive World Cup appearances. Türkiye sit fourth on that list after defeating Austria in the Korea/Japan 2002 edition, ending 48 years of waiting. Northern Ireland, meanwhile, come into this edition looking to return to the tournament after a 40-year hiatus.
A 92nd-minute goal by Aleksandar Trajkovski saw North Macedonia defeat Italy in the Qatar 2022 Path C semi-final and claim the biggest upset by FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking discrepancy ever seen at this stage. The Lions entered the game 67th on the global ladder, while the four-time world champions sat sixth. Despite their heroics, however, Macedonia fell 2-0 to Portugal in the final.
Including the 2026 entrants, a total of 33 teams have contested the play-offs. Albania and Kosovo will take part for the first time this year.
Ahead of Brazil 2014, Portugal and Sweden met in a tantalising battle between two of the sports heavyweights in Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. It didn't disappoint. After Ronaldo gave Portugal a 1-0 win in Lisbon, the pair went blow-for-blow in a Solna sizzler. The Portugal captain popped up again to extend his side's lead five minutes after half-time, only for a brace from Ibrahimovic to put the contest back into the balance. Ronaldo, though, wouldn't be denied, and capped a barmy 29-minute spell with two more goals to complete his treble and end arguably the greatest play-off of all time.
The highest-scoring play-off came ahead of France 1998, as Yugoslavia hammered Hungary 12-1 over two legs. The Yugoslavs raced into a seven-goal lead in the away leg, and while Bala Illes added a consolation late on, they went on to lose 5-0 in Belgrade.
Predrag Mijatovic netted seven goals across those Hungary hammerings to stand as comfortably the play-offs’ top scorer. He followed a hat-trick in the away leg with a four-goal haul to make him the only player to score more than three in a play-off match. Luis Garcia, Tuncay, Ronaldo and Christian Eriksen have all since netted trebles.
Ukraine are set to extend their run as the team with the most play-off appearances. This will be the Blue and Yellows' sixth attempt from a possible eight tournaments, but they are yet to advance via this route.
Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia all enter the play-offs looking to qualify for their first World Cup. On the other end of the spectrum, Italy have played at the finals 18 times, a number only bettered by Brazil, Germany and Argentina, while just the Seleção have won more than their four titles.
Mamadou Sakho's only two goals for France came in their stunning victory over Ukraine ahead of Brazil 2014. Les Bleus lost the first leg 2-0 in Kiev, but turned the game around with Sakho notching a memorable brace either side of a Karim Benzema goal at the Stade de France.
Graham Potter is set to become the first Englishman to take charge of a play-off match. The former West Ham coach took over as Sweden boss last October, and will line his charges up against Ukraine in the Path B semi-final.
None of the semi-final fixtures have ever been contested previously in the UEFA play-offs. Victories for Sweden and Poland over Ukraine and Albania respectively would ensure a repeat of the Path B final between the pair ahead of Qatar 2022. Goals from Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski ensured the Poles' progress on that occasion.