With fewer than 80 days remaining until the kickoff, preparations are underway to finalize the teams for the upcoming World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico this June and July.
A total of 22 countries are in contention for the remaining six spots in the expanded 48-team tournament. In Europe, 16 nations will compete for the final four berths, while six teams from other regions will vie for the remaining two spots. These qualifiers will be determined through a series of mini single-elimination tournaments over the next six days, with matches scheduled for Thursday and Tuesday.
Although Canada is not directly participating, it holds a stake in the qualifying matches. One of these games will determine Canada’s opponent in the World Cup opener on June 12 in Toronto. Additionally, three qualifying teams will play group-stage matches in either Toronto or Vancouver.
The European qualifying tournaments feature 16 teams divided into four four-team brackets known as “paths.” In each path, the winners of Thursday’s matches will face off on Tuesday for a spot in the World Cup.
One of the most compelling paths is Path A, where Italy, a four-time World Cup champion, is striving to secure a spot. Italy, ranked 12th globally, is favored to win the path but faces a challenging journey after previous setbacks. The winners from Italy’s match against Northern Ireland will face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina for a place in Group B with Canada, Switzerland, and Qatar.
In Path C, Turkey is the favorite, while Denmark leads the pack in Path D. Path B appears to be more open, with Poland, Sweden, and Ukraine competing for a spot in Group F with the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia.
The intercontinental playoffs feature six teams divided into smaller groups of three, with matches taking place on Thursday and Tuesday. Each path will lead to a group in the World Cup.
As Canada awaits its World Cup opener opponent, the national team will play friendlies against Iceland and Tunisia in Toronto. The team will be without key players due to injuries, including Alphonso Davies, Alistair Johnston, Moise Bombito, Stephen Eustaquio, and Jacob Shaffelburg. The matches will take place at Toronto’s BMO Field, which has expanded its capacity to accommodate 45,000 spectators for the World Cup.