Blurb
Europe’s World Cup playoffs saw Italy, Sweden, and Denmark secure crucial wins, bringing them close to qualification for FIFA 2026, with tense final clashes ahead.
Mexico City
The high-stakes race for the final spots in the 2026 FIFA World Cup reached a boiling point last night as Europe’s heavyweights battled through a dramatic playoff round. Italy, Sweden, and Denmark all secured vital victories, moving within one win of qualifying for the expanded 48-team tournament set to kick off this June across North America.
In Path A, Italy silenced Northern Ireland with a professional 2-0 win, thanks to second-half strikes from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean. The European giants now face a tense final showdown against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Meanwhile, Path B belonged to Sweden’s star striker Viktor Gyökeres, who netted a stunning hat-trick to dismantle Ukraine 3-1. Sweden will now meet Robert Lewandowski’s Poland in a massive winner-takes-all clash.
The drama continued in Path C, where Turkiye edged past Romania 1-0, while Kosovo pulled off a miraculous 4-3 comeback against Slovakia. In Path D, Denmark looked every bit the favorite, crushing North Macedonia 4-0 with a brace from Gustav Isaksen. The Danes will now prepare for a physical battle against Czechia. Outside of Europe, Bolivia kept their dreams alive by defeating Suriname 2-1, setting up a final intercontinental hurdle against Iraq on April 1.
With the opening match between Mexico and South Africa fast approaching on June 11, the pressure is mounting. For these nations, the margin for error has vanished; only 90 minutes of football now stand between them and a plane ticket to the world’s biggest sporting stage.
