FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers always bring drama and excitement, but next year the thrill levels go up a notch with the debut of the brand-new FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament. Six nations from five confederations will contest a knock-out competition for the final two spots in the expanded 48-team tournament, which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States between 11 June and 19 July.

The stakes could barely be higher and one man who knows all about the unique emotions that come with a successful FIFA World Cup play-off is former Australia international goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. 20 years ago this week, in November 2005, Schwarzer was firmly focused on securing a historic place at the FIFA World Cup for his country, for just the second time in their history.

Four years earlier, Schwarzer had been part of the Socceroos team which had missed out on a place in the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, after losing 3-1 on aggregate to Uruguay in the OFC-CONMEBOL play-off. Australia lost 1-0 in the first leg in Montevideo but four days later lined up in front of a crowd of 82,698 at Stadium Australia in Sydney, knowing that they had a chance to end the 32-year-long wait since their solitary World Cup appearance in West Germany in 1974. “The support for the national team at the final stages of qualification for a (FIFA) World Cup has always been there. So, that was, for us, normal,” Schwarzer said. “What wasn't normal was qualification and there was a sense of when we didn't qualify, then the media machine got into place and all the other (Australian) sports were involved and the people running those sports would put football down again. We needed to put that right.” Australia had a talented team with winger Harry Kewell and striker Mark Viduka, having proven themselves in European club football while midfielder Tim Cahill was emerging as another star.

There was a belief that this time it could be different and Schwarzer said that for the players, reaching the FIFA World Cup was their lifetime ambition. “That, ultimately, was the grand plan for us: to change the face of football in Australia, to go to a (FIFA) World Cup,” he said. Australia won the game 1-0, leaving the tie 1-1 on aggregate after extra-time and so the prize of qualification would be determined by the heart-stopping drama of a penalty shoot-out. Schwarzer was the hero, saving two of Uruguay’s penalties as his team prevailed 4-2 to set off joyous celebrations after John Aloisi converted the winning spot-kick.

“You’re sort of running around the pitch and just being crazy and being swamped by people and just seeing the fans,” said Schwarzer. “The thing about it is that you don’t realise how big of a moment it was in the stadium. You are on the pitch and you are hearing things, but a lot of it is a blur. “But when you see footage of it, that’s when the hair stands up. That’s when you start to go, ‘Wow! That’s just mad!’ And, they are the moments you look back at,” he added. Those are emotions that Schwarzer can’t wait to see others witness in March when they earn a place in the biggest FIFA World Cup ever.

“Oh, it’s phenomenal. It’s a pinch-yourself moment, it is hair standing up on the back of your (neck) – it’s all of those things. It’s like… It’s indescribable.” Living the dream of playing in a FIFA World Cup is something Schwarzer still reflects on with immense pride. “As a kid growing up, running around, kicking a football around a park, having those sorts of first initial thoughts of playing football, just loving the football, going to bed with your football, not leaving the house without your football. “To then to be able to play at the very, very highest level, something that you used to watch as a kid growing up, every four years, to then be on the other side and go, ‘Oh! now I’m here, I am experiencing it, I am playing in these unbelievable football stadiums against these unbelievable footballers,’ and trying to re-write history for our country, and I don’t think there’s anything that’s more fulfilling than representing your country,” he said.

And Schwarzer is sure that the new format for the last spots in North America will be memorable. “The new FIFA World Cup Play-Off Tournament is a great idea. I think it’s going to be an incredible opportunity for fans in particular – to be in one location, the players to be in one location, not having to travel thousands and thousands of miles potentially, all different parts of the world, dealing with jet lag, tiredness, fatigue,” he said. “Qualification is about knockout, unfortunately. There’s always a downside to the qualification and you just want to make sure you’re on the qualification side of things, which is very, very special. I’ve obviously been on both sides. The qualification side is better.” The FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament and European Play-Off draws will be held at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday, 20 November 2025.

Fans around the world will be able to follow the draws live on FIFA.com, FIFA+ and via media partners.