Poland is aiming to secure its place in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Polish national team, under the leadership of coach Jan Urban, is striving to qualify for the prestigious tournament in North America through the UEFA playoffs. This article delves into the potential group stage adversaries Poland could encounter if they successfully navigate the qualification hurdles.
Potential Group Stage Opponents for Poland at WM 2026
The route for Poland’s prospective World Cup group has been mapped out following the playoff structure. Should the team, captained by prolific striker Robert Lewandowski, emerge victorious from Playoff Path B, they will be assigned to World Cup Group F. This group currently comprises the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia, leaving one slot open for the playoff winner.
Group F
| Group F | |
|---|---|
| Netherlands | Japan |
| Tunisia | Sweden / Poland |
Historically, the Polish national team has successfully qualified for the FIFA World Cup on nine previous occasions.
Overview of Playoff Path B Matches
After their victory against Albania in the semifinal, Poland is scheduled to play an away match against Sweden in the final of Playoff Path B, with the winner advancing to the World Cup.
| Playoff Path B | Date, Time (CET) | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Semifinal: Poland — Albania | 26.03., 20.45 | 2:1 |
| Final: Sweden — Poland | 31.03., 20.45 | -:- |
Poland Squad for the World Cup Playoffs
Below is the squad selected for Poland’s crucial World Cup playoff matches:
| Name | Position | Club | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marcin Bułka | Goalkeeper | NEOM SC | 26 |
| Bartłomiej Drągowski | Goalkeeper | Widzew Łódź | 28 |
| Kamil Grabara | Goalkeeper | VfL Wolfsburg | 27 |
| Mateusz Kochalski | Goalkeeper | Qarabağ FK | 25 |
| Bartosz Mrozek | Goalkeeper | Lech Poznań | 26 |
| Łukasz Skorupski | Goalkeeper | FC Bologna | 34 |
| Kacper Tobiasz | Goalkeeper | Legia Warsaw | 23 |
| Jan Bednarek | Defense | FC Porto | 29 |
| Bartosz Bereszyński | Defense | Palermo FC | 33 |
| Matty Cash | Defense | Aston Villa FC | 28 |
| Paweł Dawidowicz | Defense | Rakow Częstochowa | 30 |
| Tomasz Kędziora | Defense | PAOK Saloniki | 31 |
| Jakub Kiwior | Defense | FC Porto | 26 |
| Dominik Marczuk | Defense | Real Salt Lake | 22 |
| Kamil Piątkowski | Defense | Legia Warsaw | 25 |
| Oskar Repka | Defense | Rakow Częstochowa | 27 |
| Kryspin Szcześniak | Defense | Górnik Zabrze | 25 |
| Sebastian Walukiewicz | Defense | Sassuolo Calcio | 25 |
| Mateusz Wieteska | Defense | Kocaelispor | 29 |
| Przemysław Wiśniewski | Defense | Widzew Łódź | 27 |
| Jan Ziółkowski | Defense | AS Roma | 20 |
| Mateusz Bogusz | Midfield | Houston Dynamo | 24 |
| Przemysław Frankowski | Midfield | Stade Rennes | 30 |
| Bartosz Kapustka | Midfield | Legia Warsaw | 29 |
| Kacper Kozłowski | Midfield | Gaziantep FK | 22 |
| Jakub Moder | Midfield | Feyenoord Rotterdam | 26 |
| Maximillian Oyedele | Midfield | Racing Strasbourg | 21 |
| Jakub Piotrowski | Midfield | Udinese Calcio | 28 |
| Arkadiusz Pyrka | Midfield | FC St. Pauli | 23 |
| Filip Rózga | Midfield | KS Cracovia | 19 |
| Mateusz Skrzypczak | Midfield | Lech Poznań | 25 |
| Bartosz Slisz | Midfield | Brøndby IF | 26 |
| Sebastian Szymański | Midfield | Stade Rennes | 26 |
| Kacper Urbański | Midfield | Legia Warsaw | 21 |
| Paweł Wszołek | Midfield | Legia Warsaw | 33 |
| Nicola Zalewski | Midfield | Atalanta | 24 |
| Piotr Zieliński | Midfield | Inter Milan | 31 |
| Adam Buksa | Forward | Udinese Calcio | 29 |
| Kamil Grosicki | Forward | Pogoń Szczecin | 37 |
| Jakub Kamiński | Forward | 1. FC Köln | 23 |
| Robert Lewandowski | Forward | FC Barcelona | 37 |
| Krzysztof Piątek | Forward | Al Duhail SC | 30 |
| Oskar Pietuszewski | Forward | FC Porto | 17 |
| Michał Skóraś | Forward | KAA Gent | 26 |
| Karol Świderski | Forward | Panathinaikos Athens | 29 |
| Jan Urban | Coach | 63 |