World Cup 2022 UEFA play-off fixtures: Who every country will face in the crucial final qualifiers

Scotland, World Cup 2022 UEFA play-off fixtures
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The first round of World Cup 2022 UEFA play-off fixtures have been confirmed, following the draw at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich.

Twelve teams will be going head-to-head for the three remaining European spots in the World Cup.

The play-offs have been split into three 'paths', with each path featuring four teams, who will play a one-legged semi-final. The winners of each semi-final will go into that path's play-off final, and the winners of those will go into the draw for the Qatar World Cup in November 2022.

The semi-finals will take place on neutral venues on Thursday March 24, 2022, with the finals taking place the following Tuesday, March 29, 2022.

Six sides were seeded in the draw, meaning they would not be drawn against each other in the semi-finals: Portugal, Scotland, Italy, Russia, Sweden, and Wales. The other six sides are Austria, North Macedonia, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic.

Should Scotland progress, it would be their first World Cup since 1998, and if Wales make it to Qatar, it would be their first appearance since the 1958 World Cup.

World Cup 2022 UEFA play-off fixtures

Path A

Scotland vs Ukraine
Wales vs Austria (home for the final)

Path B

Russia vs Poland (home for the final)
Sweden vs Czech Republic

Path C

Italy vs North Macedonia
Portugal vs Turkey (home for the final)

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