We are slowly getting to the end of the World Cup qualifiers, with only four matches left to be played in the UEFA qualifiers before we get the names of the last four European participants in the 2026 World Cup.
The semi-finals brought many exciting matches, with a couple of them decided only after penalty shoot-outs. Here’s a brief overview, with a glimpse of what comes next.
The Semi-Finals: Who’s Through?
The new qualifiers' playoff format means that teams play one match in the semi-finals and then one in the finals, with no return fixtures. We saw eight semi-final matches on Thursday, with eight winners now through to face each other in the finals:
- Türkiye 1-0 Romania
- Kosovo 4-3 Slovakia
- Italy 2-0 Northern Ireland
- Wales 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina (2-4 after penalty shoot-out)
- Sweden 3-1 Ukraine
- Poland 2-1 Albania
- Denmark 4-0 North Macedonia
- Czechia 2-2 Ireland (4-3 after penalty shoot-out)
Finals Fixtures and Odds
The four matches in the finals will be played on Tuesday, 31 March, which will mark the conclusion of the European qualifiers. Let’s have a look at the fixtures and the odds the bookmakers are giving each team to qualify for the World Cup.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina - Italy
- Sweden - Poland
- Kosovo - Türkiye
- Czechia - Denmark
Let's start with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy. Italy is the clear favourite with bookmakers in Path A, with the average odds around 1.60. If you wish to back Bosnia and Herzegovina, the average odds there are around 5.50.
The match between Sweden and Poland is expected to be more of a close game, with a slight advantage given to Sweden. The Scandinavian team is priced at around 2.00, while the odds on Poland winning this final match are around 3.60.
This match could also be a great opportunity to bet on goal scorers, with Viktor Gyokeres on one side and Robert Lewandowski on the other. Both of them scored in the semi-final, Gyokeres three times, and Lewandowski once.
The odds for Gyokeres scoring at any time are around 2.50, and for Lewandowski, 2.75.
Türkiye is considered a favourite in the match against Kosovo, with odds of around 1.85. On the other hand, their opponents are sitting at odds of around 4.00 to win this match.
Finally, the match between Czechia and Denmark is also expected to be a closer one, with the two opponents not so far apart in terms of match-winner odds. Denmark is priced at around 2.00, while you can snatch some lucrative odds around 4.00 if you wish to back Czechia to win.
