2022 FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)


For the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, there are two scheduled inter-confederation play-offs to determine the final two qualification spots to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They will be played in June 2022.

Format

The draw for the inter-confederation play-offs will be held at a later date.
The four teams from the four confederations will be drawn into two ties.
In each tie, the two teams play a two-legged home-and-away series. The two winners, decided on aggregate score, will qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. If the aggregate score is level, the away goals rule is applied, i.e. the team that scored more goals away from home over the two legs advances. If away goals are also equal, then 30 minutes of extra time is played. The away goals rule is again applied after extra time, i.e. if there are goals scored during extra time and the aggregate score is still level, the visiting team advances by virtue of more away goals scored. If no goals are scored during extra time, the tie is decided by penalty shoot-out.
These play-offs will be the last two-legged ties that decide the two remaining World Cup slots for a 32-team tournament. Beginning with the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was expanded to 48 teams, a playoff tournament involving six teams will be held to decide the last two berths, consisting of one team per confederation and one additional team from the confederation of the host country.

Qualified teams

Matches

The first and second legs are scheduled to be played in June 2022. The matches were originally scheduled for March 2022, but were moved to June due to the changes in the FIFA International Match Calendar caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.