Zurich: Representatives from the 22 participating countries in the European and global playoffs arrived in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday to begin the draw for the World Cup qualifying playoff matches.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, sixteen European teams are competing for four World Cup spots, while six teams representing Asia, Africa, CONCACAF, and North America are vying for two.
The draw ceremony will be conducted by Frenchman Christian Karembeu, Italian Marco Materazzi, and Swede Martin Dahlin. The event will be presented by Swiss model Melanie Wenger and managed by Manolo Zuberia, the chief official for the 2026 World Cup.
The draw will take place at 1:00 PM GMT (3:00 PM local time in Baghdad).