Canada: What to expect from UEFA Pathway A?

Canada will soon discover their first opponent of the 2026 FIFA World Cup when the UEFA playoffs take place between March 26-31.

Les Rouges were drawn into Group B alongside Switzerland and Qatar. The fourth and final country will emerge from UEFA Pathway A, which consists of Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Canada World Cup group stage schedule

• June 12 vs. UEFA Playoff A winner | BMO Field - Toronto, Ontario
• June 18 vs. Qatar | BC Place - Vancouver, British Columbia
• June 24 vs. Switzerland | BC Place - Vancouver, British Columbia

How to Watch UEFA Pathway A

• TV: FS1
• Stream: UEFA.com, FuboTV, ViX

UEFA Pathway A consists of a four-team, single-leg knockout playoff, with the winner earning the final World Cup qualification spot in Group A. 

Semifinals

• March 26: Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Cardiff City Stadium - Cardiff, Wales)
• March 26: Italy vs. Northern Ireland (Stadio di Bergamo - Bergamo, Italy)

Final

• March 31: Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy/Northern Ireland

The UEFA Pathway A final will be held at Wales' Cardiff City Stadium or Bosnia and Herzegovina's Bilino Polje Stadium, depending on which country advances.

Italy are UEFA Pathway A's highest-ranked nation in the latest FIFA Men's World Rankings, sitting in 12th place. 

The Azzurri are followed by Wales (35) and Northern Ireland (69), with Bosnia and Herzegovina rounding out the quartet in 71st place. 

History overwhelmingly favors Italy, who are four-time World Cup champions (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006). They've also won the UEFA European Football Championship twice, most recently in the 2020 edition of the tournament.

• Sandro Tonali (Italy): Already the second-most expensive Italian player of all time, the 25-year-old Newcastle United midfielder is currently the subject of €100 million transfer speculation from the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United, among others.
• Trai Hume (Northern Ireland): Amid captain Conor Bradley's knee injury, the spotlight will shine brighter on Hume. The 24-year-old Sunderland right back recently scored his first international goal for Northern Ireland during 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
• Harry Wilson (Wales): The Liverpool FC academy product stars for Fulham, producing 16 goal contributions (10g/6a) to date during the 2025-26 Premier League season. Wilson has 17 goals in 67 caps for Wales, including his first international hat-trick in his most recent appearance: a 7-1 rout of North Macedonia in November.
• Edin Džeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina): At 39 years old, Džeko remains one of the world's most lethal strikers more than two decades into his legendary career. Bosnia and Herzegovina's all-time leading scorer (72 goals), Džeko already has six goals in his first eight appearances with new club Schalke 04.