World Cup 2026 playoffs: recaps of DR Congo – Jamaica, Italy – Bosnia and Iraq – Bolivia

After an intense night of football on Tuesday and the early hours of Wednesday, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have officially booked their places for the 2026 World Cup, seizing the last available spots through the playoffs.

Bosnia, Iraq and DR Congo grab the last tickets

Bosnia and Herzegovina punched their ticket in dramatic fashion against Italy. After a tightly contested match that ended 1-1 after regular time and extra time, the Bosnians held their nerve in the penalty shootout, winning 4-1 in the European playoff decider.

This will be Bosnia’s second appearance at a World Cup finals, following their debut in 2014. They’ll face a tough group featuring Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

Italy – Bosnia match recap:

Iraq, meanwhile, secured their qualification by overcoming Bolivia 2-1 in the intercontinental playoff.

This marks a triumphant return to the global stage for Iraq, who make their second World Cup appearance after their debut in 1986.

Iraq – Bolivia match recap:

Finally, the Democratic Republic of Congo also secured their ticket after a hard-fought victory over Jamaica. The Leopards prevailed thanks to a decisive goal in extra time from Axel Tuanzebe.

DR Congo thus marks their return to the World Cup after a 52-year absence, their only previous appearance dating back to 1974 when they competed as Zaire.

DR Congo – Jamaica match recap:

2026 World Cup: The full DR Congo group stage schedule

Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.

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