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Poland’s Rivals in the 2026 World Cup Play-offs
On Thursday in Zurich, the play-off ties were drawn for the World Cup qualifiers, which are set to be contested in the USA, Canada, and Mexico in 2026. The Polish national team will face Albania on home soil in the semi-final, whilst the White and Reds' potential rival in the final will be the winner of the Ukraine v Sweden tie.
The Poles will play their first fixture on 26 March 2026 in Poland. The opponent for the team led by manager Jan Urban will be Albania.
ALBANIA
FIFA Ranking: 61
Path to the play-offs: The Albanians are the highest-ranked team amongst the potential semi-final rivals for the White and Reds. In Group K, they could not overcome the English, who finished the qualifiers with a perfect record of eight wins. In Albania's remaining matches, the only surprise was their draw against Latvia (2–2). The team led by Sylvinho took four points from Serbia, and it was at the Serbs' expense that they secured their play-off spot.
Should they triumph in the semi-final match, Poland’s representatives will play in the final, where a place at the World Cup tournament will be at stake. Poland's rival would be the winner of the Ukraine v Sweden fixture. The decisive clash will be played on 31 March 2026, hosted by the winner of the Ukraine v Sweden match.
2026 WORLD CUP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS:
Path A
Italy – Northern Ireland
Wales – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Path B
Ukraine – Sweden
Poland – Albania
Path C
Turkey – Romania
Slovakia – Kosovo
Path D
Denmark – North Macedonia
Czechia – Republic of Ireland
