FIFA World Cup 2026: Intercontinental play-offs preview – DR Congo, New Caledonia and Jamaica
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, a mini-tournament of intercontinental play‑offs is set to add two more teams to the main draw.
Scheduled for late March in Mexico, the action will feature six teams.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer AJ Becker takes a closer look at the three nations who will be taking part in Pathway 1 of the play-offs.
New Caledonia
ZONE: Oceania
FIFA RANKING: #150
STRIP: All white
MANAGER: Johann Sidaner
PREVIOUS WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: N/A
Team quality
With a shudder-inducing ranking and huge swathes of their squad based either locally or in the fifth tier of French football (at clubs such as Vertou and Lucciana), the men representing a French territory in the Pacific Ocean with a population similar to that of Southampton (250,000) are – to be blunt – an amateur team or – from a marginally more charitable point of view – plucky underdogs.
Story so far
Their qualification campaign so far is barely worthy of comment: wins over lower-ranked nations (Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tahiti) took them to a final against regional heavyweights New Zealand.
There, the ‘Kagus’ were palpably and painfully out of their depth, crashing to a 3-0 defeat.
Damage limitation
Pragmatic Frenchman Sidaner has been in charge for three-and-a-half years and will have his tactics figured out to the nth degree for the forthcoming clash with Jamaica – a rare competitive clash with a nation from a different confederation.
His teams are typically compact and well-drilled defensively, with an emphasis on counter-attacking play.
Even so, the severe lack of quality at his disposal means the match may turn out to be an exercise in damage limitation.
Chances of qualification: Unlikely in the extreme
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Jamaica
ZONE: North, Central America & Caribbean
FIFA RANKING: #70
STRIP: Yellow top, green shorts
MANAGER: Rudolph Speid (interim)
PREVIOUS WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: 1
1998 success
The last time Jamaica played a World Cup match proper, it was the summer of 1998 and local rapper Canibus had entered the UK charts with “Second Round K.O.”.
His title turned out to be an accurate description of half their six subsequent World Cup campaigns as the ‘Reggae Boyz’ were ‘KO’d’ in the second group phase – falling at the first such stage in the other three.
Story so far
Nothing can remove the class of France ’98 from the Jamaican public’s affections, although recent years have seen their team operating on reserve power despite continued success in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the now-defunct Caribbean Cup.
Expectations were, not unreasonably, somewhat higher this time around as a result of both the expanded World Cup format and the absence of regional behemoths USA and Mexico.
Steve McClaren overseeing below-par results in international football then departing his post is a concept not unfamiliar to England fans – the 64-year-old left of his own volition this time after Jamaica were unable to top their group, leaving former accountant and administrator Rudolph Speid as interim coach.
Key players
English fans will recognise names such as Brentford’s Ethan Pinnock – a key aerial presence at centre-back – experienced left-back Amari’i Bell of Charlton, the versatile Bobby Decordova-Reid at Leicester, and Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey, known for his pace and creativity.
Shamar Nicholson offers a much-needed goalscoring dimension and is one of several players based in North America.
Style and prospects
Style-wise, the athletics powerhouse has stayed just the right side of stereotypical: counter-attacking elite teams with speed and athleticism whilst enacting a more expansive game against lesser opposition.
New Caledonia clearly fall into the latter category, with the ‘Reggae Boyz’ possessing considerably more individual quality, squad depth, and big-game experience.
DR Congo, however, would provide a much sterner test – a test that may prove too great for a side clearly short of confidence and under an inexperienced coach.
Chances of qualification: Moderate
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Democratic Republic of the Congo
ZONE: Africa
FIFA RANKING: #48
STRIP: Light blue
MANAGER: Sébastien Desabre
PREVIOUS WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: 1
1974 and since
It has been half a century since the only World Cup participation for this central African nation of over 100 million people (then known as Zaire).
As well as appearing at the event in West Germany, 1974 was the year the country became African champions and hosted the celebrated The Rumble in the Jungle boxing match.
Since then, DR Congo have seemed destined to remain Africa’s eternal underachievers on the world stage, despite twice advancing to the semi-finals of the AFCON (2015, 2023) and possessing gifted individuals.
Story so far
In this, their seventh World Cup campaign under the current name, the Leopards navigated their way through the round-robin stage without difficulty by landing killer punches on Sudan, South Sudan, Togo, and Mauritania.
However, Senegal delivered a knockout blow to their hopes of finishing as group winners by rallying from 2-0 down to defeat DR Congo in Kinshasa.
Undeterred, Sébastien Desabre’s side then proceeded to eliminate both Cameroon and Nigeria – ironically, the very African sides they themselves would have regarded as touchstones for regular World Cup qualification.
They inflicted a sucker punch upon the former with a stoppage-time winner before securing victory over the latter via a penalty shootout.
Desabre and his players know they will be the ‘main event’ in the March play-offs, facing the winner of the ‘undercard’ between Jamaica and New Caledonia.
Manager and key players
Frenchman Desabre is an adept tactician with in-depth knowledge of African football, having steered unfancied Uganda to the AFCON round of 16 in 2019 and boasting considerable club-level experience on the continent to boot.
Tactically of no fixed abode, the 49-year-old prioritises organisation and tactical adaptability above playing style.
His squad is an amalgam of the hungry young and the savvy established.
As for the youngsters, Noah Sadiki of Sunderland brings energy and creativity to the midfield, whilst Augsburg’s Nathanaël Mbuku can run at blistering pace and operate on either flank.
In terms of experience, Chancel Mbemba at Lille is known for his physicality and leadership at the back, veteran striker Cédric Bakambu (Real Betis) has scored important goals in qualifiers, and Watford’s Edo Kayembe offers energy, stamina, and a physical presence in midfield, whilst the explosive speed and direct dribbling of Newcastle’s Yoane Wissa is a further threat.
Verdict
The Leopards have endured disappointments of various hues since their 1997 name change – they were a point away from reaching Russia 2018, for instance.
This time, DR Congo find themselves one step from the gleaming gates of the tournament proper, and it may well be their time at last.
Chances of qualification: Fairly likely
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