The World Cup supplement takes Europe's breath away

Next week, the final four European teams that will join the 2026 World Cup finals will be determined, with 16 teams competing for the remaining four places through a four-track playoff that begins Thursday with semi-final matches.

12 runners-up from the European qualifiers, in addition to four teams from the European Nations League competition, received a second chance to reach the global event.

Agence France-Presse sheds light on the four paths that will determine the last four European tickets to the finals, consisting of 48 teams instead of 32 for the first time.

Italy, four-time champions, faces enormous pressure as it seeks to reach the World Cup for the first time since 2014.

Since lifting the cup in 2006, its record in the World Cup has been disappointing, with two consecutive exits from the group stage and then a complete absence from the 2018 and 2022 editions.

To avoid a new setback, the “Azzurri” must overcome Northern Ireland in Bergamo on Thursday, before playing a possible final match against Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina on March 31.

Northern Ireland enters the confrontation as the weaker party on paper; But she hopes to put an end to the 40-year absence from the World Cup.

As for Wales, it will host Bosnia in Cardiff in the other semi-final.

This month, its coach, Craig Bellamy, confirmed to Agence France-Presse that he “feels a responsibility” to lead the team to the finals for the second time in a row, after appearing in Qatar for the first time in 64 years.

The Ukrainian national team seeks to raise the morale of its country, which is living in an atmosphere of war, by qualifying for the first World Cup in 20 years. To achieve this, he must beat Sweden in a match held on neutral soil in Valencia, then overcome Poland or Albania in the final.

Although Sweden scored only two points in a disappointing qualifier, this team, currently led by English coach Graham Potter, is getting a new opportunity thanks to its results in the Nations League.

But Sweden will miss its star Alexander Isak, the Liverpool striker who has not yet recovered from a broken leg he suffered in December.

For its part, Poland is counting on Robert Lewandowski, who is seeking to participate in the World Cup for the third time. Meanwhile, the Albanian national team, led by its coach, former Brazilian defender for Arsenal and Barcelona, ​​Sylvinho, believes that it is capable of reaching the finals for the first time.