General Oleksandr Syrskyi said a "just peace" can only be achieved if fighting is halted along current frontlines and then for negotiations to take place. Signalling a complete lack of trust in claims by the Kremlin that it wants to end its war, he accused Vladimir Putin of using an attempt by Donald Trump to broker peace talks as "cover" while Russian troops try to capture more land by force on the battlefield. Ukraine peace talks - latest The rare intervention offers the clearest indication yet of the Ukrainian military's red lines as Washington tries to negotiate a settlement that - according to an initial draft - would require Kyiv to surrender the whole of the Donbas region in the east of the country to Moscow. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, backed by the UK and other European allies, has been trying on the diplomatic front to strengthen Ukraine's position. But President Putin has said Russia would either seize the Donbas militarily or Ukrainian troops would have to withdraw. Europe's fate at stake Speaking frankly, General Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine, signalled that his country's soldiers would fight on if diplomacy fails - and he warned that the fate of the whole of Europe is at stake. "Our main mission is to defend our land, our country, and our population," he said in an exclusive interview in the basement of a building in eastern Ukraine. Sky News has been asked not to disclose the location for security reasons. "Naturally, for us it is unacceptable to simply give up territory. What does it even mean - to hand over our land? This is precisely why we are fighting; so we do not give up our territory." Many troops have died fighting for Ukraine since Russia first seized the peninsula of Crimea and attacked the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, which comprise the Donbas, in 2014. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians were then mobilised to fight alongside professional soldiers following Putin's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russia well short of original goal Nearly four years on, Russia occupies almost a fifth of Ukraine, including large parts of the Donbas, but well short of an original goal of imposing a pro-Kremlin government in Kyiv. Asked whether the sacrifice of those people who gave their lives defending their country would be in vain if Ukraine is forced to hand over the land it still controls in the Donbas to Moscow, General Syrskyi, speaking in Ukrainian through a translator, said: "You know, I do not even allow myself to consider such a scenario. "All wars eventually end, and of course we hope ours will end as well. And when it does, a just peace must be established. "In my understanding, a just peace is peace without preconditions, without giving up territory. It means stopping along the current line of contact." The commander then broke into English to say that this means: "Stop. A ceasefire. And after that negotiations, without any conditions." Switching back into Ukrainian, he said: "Any other format would be an unjust peace, and for us it is unacceptable." Ukraine's contingency plans While Ukraine's will and ability to fight are key in confronting Russia's much larger army, so too is the supply of weapons, ammunition and other assistance from Kyiv's allies, most significantly the US. But, with the White House under Donald Trump, becoming less predictable, the Ukrainian military appears to be considering contingency plans in case US aid stops. Asked whether Ukraine would be able to continue fighting if President Trump did halt support, General Syrskyi said: "We are very grateful to our American partners and all our allies who have been supporting us throughout this war with weapons and equipment. "We hope they will continue providing full support. But we also hope that our European partners and allies, if necessary, will be ready to provide everything required for our just war against the aggressor. "Because right now we are defending not only ourselves, but all of Europe. And it is crucial for all Europeans that we continue doing so, because if we are not here, others will be forced to fight in Europe." General's assessment of fighting on ground A decorated commander, with the call sign "snow leopard", General Syrskyi has been conducting combat operations against Russia's invasion for more than a decade. He was made military chief in February 2024 after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sacked the previous top commander. General Valerii Zaluzhnyi is now Kyiv's ambassador to London. General Syrskyi offered his assessment of the fight on the ground, saying: • Ukrainian troops still control the northern part of the fortress city of Pokrovsk in the Donbas and will keep battling to retake the rest of it, contrary to Russian claims to have captured what has been a key target for Moscow for the past 16 months. • Russia is firing between 4,000 to 5,000 one-way attack drones at Ukrainian positions along the frontline every day as well as 1,500 to 2,000 drones that drop bombs. But Ukraine is firing the same volume - and even more - back. "In terms of drones, there is roughly parity. At the moment, we are deploying slightly more FPV [first person view] drones than the Russians." • Russia's armed forces still have double the volume of artillery rounds of Ukraine's, but the range and lethality of drone warfare mean it is harder to use artillery effectively. Now, 60% of strikes are carried out by drones. • More than 710,000 Russian soldiers are deployed along a frontline that stretches some 780 miles (1,255km), with the Russian side losing around 1,000 to 1,100 soldiers a day, killed or wounded "and a majority are killed". "At this stage the Russian army is attempting to advance along virtually the entire frontline," General Syrskyi said. Where are the harshest battles? The fiercest battles are around Pokrovsk, as well as the northeastern city of Kupiansk, in Kharkiv region, the Lyman area, also in the Donbas, and near a small city called Huliaipole, in the Zaporizhzhia region of southeastern Ukraine. "The Ukrainian army is conducting a strategic defensive operation, aiming to contain the enemy's advance, prevent them from breaking deeper, inflict maximum losses, and carry out counter-offensive actions in those sectors where we see the enemy is vulnerable," the commander said. "Our strategy is to exhaust the Russian army as much as possible, prevent its advance, hold our territory, while simultaneously striking the enemy in the near rear, the operational depth, and… into Russia itself, with the aim of undermining its defence capability and industrial capacity." He is referring to a capability Ukraine has developed to launch long-range drones, laden with explosives, deep into Russia to strike military targets as well as oil refineries. The operation is aimed at destroying fuel for the tanks, warships and jets that are attacking Ukraine and - crucially - reducing oil revenues that help to fund Russia's war machine. Sea drones crash into Russia's warships The Ukrainian military is also deploying explosive sea drones that are smashed into Russian warships as well as tankers used to transport sanctioned Russian oil. Asked if his forces were ready - and had sufficient manpower - to keep fighting if necessary, General Syrskyi said: "We have the resources to continue conducting military operations." Yet Ukraine is suffering from a shortage of troops on the frontline. Soldiers and wider society are also exhausted and facing another winter of war. No sign of Moscow winding down war effort President Putin has an advantage when it comes to troop numbers and firepower over time, which makes continued support to Kyiv from its allies more vital than ever. General Syrskyi cautioned that Moscow showed no sign of winding down its war effort despite the Russian leader telling President Trump he is prepared to negotiate. Read more on Sky News:Hugs ahead of India-Russia talks New Russia sanctions 'pointless' "So we do everything so that if the enemy continues the war, and you can see that although we want peace, a fair peace, the enemy continues its offensive, using these peace talks as cover," he said. "There are no pauses, no delays in their operations. They keep pushing their troops forward to seize as much of our territory as possible under the cover of negotiations." He added: "So we are just forced to wage this war… protecting our people, our cities and towns, and our land." The commander said this is what motivates his soldiers. "If we do not do this, we can see clearly what the Russian army leaves behind, only ruins, only deaths." As for whether the UK and other European nations should be preparing their people for the possibility of a wider war with Russia, the general said: "Of course, the armed forces of every country ensure reliable protection of their citizens, their children, and their territory. "With the existence of aggressive states, above all the Russian Federation and its allies, this issue is extremely urgent. "Everything must be done to ensure the capability to maintain a level of defence, and armed forces modern enough to repel aggression, both individually and in support of the allies."

It had been reported that the US streaming giant was in exclusive talks over the deal following a bidding war for the assets. Paramount Skydance and Comcast, the ultimate owner of Sky News, were the rival suitors for the bulk of WBD that also includes HBO, the HBO Max streaming platform and DC Studios. Money latest: Budget airline launches six new routes While Netflix has agreed a $27.75 per share price with WBD, which equates to the $72bn purchase figure, the deal gives the assets a total value of $82.7bn. It will see WBD come under Netflix ownership once its remaining Discovery Global division, mostly legacy cable networks including CNN and the TNT sports channels, is separated. However, the agreement is set to attract scrutiny from competition regulators, particularly in the United States and Europe. Both WBD and Netflix do not see the prospect of the deal being completed until late 2026 or 2027. The main stumbling block is likely to be the fact that Netflix, which has hits including Stranger Things and Squid Game, is already the world's biggest streaming service. Further drama could come in the form of a complaint by Paramount, which had previously made a bid for the whole company. CNBC reported this week that Paramount had claimed the auction process was biased in favour of Netflix. Entertainment news provider Variety has also reported that major studios fear an institutional crisis for Hollywood unless the move is blocked. Ted Sarandos, the co-chief executive of Netflix, said: "By combining Warner Bros' incredible library of shows and movies - from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favourites like Harry Potter and Friends - with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we'll be able to do that even better. "Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling." Netflix shares were trading down more than 3% in pre-market deals but recovered much of that loss when Wall Street opened. Those for WBD were up by more than 2%. David O'Hara, managing director at the advisory firm MKI Global Partners, said of the proposed deal: "The 12-18 month timeline signals a long antitrust review, but despite the overlap between Netflix and HBO Max, there is a path to approval through possible HBO divestment. "Netflix would not accept a $5.8bn break fee if it didn't see at least a small chance of the deal closing."

The headline announcement in the government's plan is the pledge to lift the two-child benefit cap, announced in Rachel Reeves's budget last week. It also includes: • Providing upfront childcare support for parents on universal credit returning to work• An £8m fund to end the placement of families in bed and breakfasts beyond a six-week limit• Reforms to cut the cost of baby formula• A new legal duty on councils to notify schools, health visitors, and GPs when a child is placed in temporary accommodation Many of the measures have previously been announced. The government also pointed to its plan in the budget to cut energy bills by £150 a year, and its previously promised £950m boost to a local authority housing fund, which it says will deliver 5,000 high-quality homes for better temporary accommodation. Downing Street said the strategy would lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030, saying that would be the biggest reduction in a single parliament since records began. But charities had been hoping for a 10-year strategy and argue the plan lacks ambition. A record 4.5 million children (about 31%) are living in poverty in the UK - 900,000 more since 2010/11, according to government figures. Phillip Anderson, the Strategic Director for External Affairs at the National Children's Bureau (NCB), told Sky News: "Abolishing the two-child limit is a hell of a centre piece, but beyond that it's mainly a summary of previously announced policies and commitments. "The really big thing for me is it misses the opportunity to talk about the longer term. It was supposed to be a 10-year strategy, we wanted to see real ambition and ideally legally binding targets for reducing poverty. "The government itself says there will still be around four million children living in poverty after these measures and the strategy has very little to say to them." 'Budget for benefits street' row The biggest measure in the strategy is the plan to lift the two-child benefit cap from April. This is estimated to lift 450,000 children out of poverty by 2030, at a cost of £3bn. The government has long been under pressure from backbench Labour MPs to scrap the cap, with most experts arguing that it is the quickest, most cost-effective way to drive-down poverty this parliament. The cap, introduced by Conservative chancellor George Osborne in 2017, means parents can only claim universal credit or tax credits for their first two children. It meant the average affected household losing £4,300 per year, the Institute for Fiscal Studies calculated in 2024. The government argues that a failure to tackle child poverty holds back the economy, and young people at school, cutting their employment and earning prospects in later life. However, the Conservatives argue parents on benefits should have to make the same financial choices about children as everyone else. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said: "Work is the best way out poverty but since this government took office, unemployment has risen every single month and this budget for Benefits Street will only make the situation worse. " 'Bring back Sure Start' Lord Bird, a crossbench peer who founded the Big Issue and grew up in poverty, said while he supported the lifting of the cap there needed to be "more joined up thinking" across government for a longer-term strategy. He has been pushing for the creation of a government ministry of "poverty prevention and cure", and for legally binding targets on child poverty. "You have to be able to measure yourself, you can't have the government marking its own homework," he told Sky News. Lord Bird also said he was a "great believer" in resurrecting Sure Start centres and expanding them beyond early years. The New Labour programme offered support services for pre-school children and their parents and is widely seen to have improved health and educational outcomes. By its peak in 2009-2010 there were 3,600 centres - the majority of which closed following cuts by the subsequent Conservative government. PM to meet families Sir Keir Starmer's government have since announced 1,000 Best Start Family Hubs - but many Labour MPs feel this announcement went under the radar and ministers missed a trick in not calling them "Sure Starts" as it is a name people are familiar with. The prime minister is expected to meet families and children in Wales on Friday, alongside the Welsh First Minister, to make the case for his strategy and meet those he hopes will benefit from it. Several other charities have urged ministers to go further. Both Crisis and Shelter called for the government to unfreeze housing benefit and build more social rent homes, while the Children's Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, said that "if we are to end child poverty - not just reduce it" measures like free bus travel for school-age children would be needed. The strategy comes after the government set up a child poverty taskforce in July 2024, which was initially due to report back in May. The taskforce's findings have not yet been published - only the government's response. Sir Keir said: "Too many children are growing up in poverty, held back from getting on in life, and too many families are struggling without the basics: a secure home, warm meals and the support they need to make ends meet. "I will not stand by and watch that happen, because the cost of doing nothing is too high for children, for families and for Britain."

In a repeat of the 2018 World Cup semi-final, England begin their Group L campaign against Croatia on Wednesday June 17, in Dallas or Toronto. Thomas Tuchel's side then face Ghana on Tuesday June 23, in Toronto or Boston, with their final group game on Saturday June 27, against Panama - a team they also faced at the 2018 World Cup. England's routes to 2026 World Cup finalExplained: Why England are set to avoid world's top three until semisWales, NI and ROI await World Cup play-offs - so how do they work?World Cup 2026 schedule, dates and venues Scotland have been handed a nostalgic return to the World Cup as they face Brazil and Morocco in Group C - two teams they faced on their last appearance at the tournament in 1998. Steve Clarke's side open their campaign against Haiti on Saturday June 13 in Boston or New Jersey-New York. Scotland then take on 2022 semi-finalists Morocco on Friday June 19, in Boston or Philadelphia, with their final group game against Brazil on Wednesday, June 24 in Atlanta or Miami. The venues and kick-off times will be announced on Saturday, December 6 at 5pm UK time, when FIFA will unveil the full match schedule. There could be one more home nation at next summer's tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico, with Wales and Northern Ireland aiming to come through the UEFA play-offs in March. Wales or Northern Ireland would be in Group B with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar. The Republic of Ireland can also qualify for the 2026 World Cup through the play-offs and could face co-hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea in Group A. Next year's tournament will be the biggest World Cup ever, with 48 nations taking part - an expansion from 32 - across 104 matches, with 16 cities hosting games. The tournament opens with co-hosts Mexico against South Africa at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on June 11. It is a repeat of the 2010 World Cup opener as then-hosts South Africa claimed a 1-1 draw. The 2026 World Cup final will be on July 19 at the New York-New Jersey (MetLife) Stadium. World Cup draw in full Group A: Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Republic of Ireland/Denmark/North Macedonia/Czech Republic Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Wales/Northern Ireland/Italy/Bosnia-Herzegovina Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti Group D: USA, Australia, Paraguay, Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Poland/Ukraine/Sweden/Albania Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq or Bolivia/Suriname Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo or Jamaica/New Caledonia Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana Tuchel wary of 'difficult' group England already knew before a single ball was drawn that they would benefit from a new Wimbledon-style seeding system introduced by FIFA, which will keep them apart from Spain and Argentina until the semis and from France until the final if all four countries win their respective groups. Should England win their group, they will face a third-place team in Atlanta in the round of 32 on July 1. Three Lions boss Tuchel, however, must first navigate a group he is wary of. "Difficult group, difficult opener," he told BBC Sport. "Difficult group with Croatia and Ghana, two regulars in World Cups and two proud and strong nations. "Panama, I don't know much about Panama at the moment but we will find out about it before the tournament starts, of course. "For me, I'm only experienced group football in Champions League formats and the way to approach it was to always give it the biggest respect and to put all the focus into winning the group. "It always seems difficult like our group now but we are confident and we will be well prepared when we arrive." Clarke: It's a great group | 'I didn't want European team' Scotland have now been drawn against Brazil in most of their World Cup appearances - five out of nine. Clarke's side also face a tough test in 2022 semi-finalists Morocco, who were the last team to face Scotland in the World Cup finals. A 3-0 win for the North Africans ended Scotland's 1998 campaign in Saint Etienne. But Scotland will be the favourites to beat Caribbean nation Haiti in their opener. "It's a good draw," Clarke told STV. "I didn't want any European teams, I wanted teams from different continents, and we got that. "Three great teams to play against and something to look forward to next summer. "You see how the draw was going on and teams were getting pushed down and I thought we were going to end up in that section. "It's a great group. Brazil is always a good game, and it's nice to get them. But Morocco is also a tough opponent, and it's two teams who, the last time we were at a World Cup, were teams that beat us. So hopefully this time we can do a little bit better against them." World Cup match schedule FIFA will reveal the match schedule at 5pm UK time on Saturday, December 6, where kick-off times and locations will be unveiled, but the key dates for the tournament have already been confirmed. Group stage: June 11-27 Round of 32: June 28 to July 3 Round of 16: July 4-7 Quarter-finals: July 9-11 Semi-finals: July 14-15 Third-place play-off ('Bronze final'): July 18 Final: July 19

Nathaniel Spencer, 38, has been charged with 15 counts of sexual assault, 17 counts of assault by penetration, nine counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, three counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetration and one count of attempted assault by penetration. It follows a police investigation into alleged sexual offences between 2017 and 2021. Staffordshire Police said in a statement the charges come after a complex investigation by the Public Protection Unit into sexual offences at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, in Stoke-on-Trent, and Russells Hall Hospital, in Dudley. Ben Samples, deputy chief crown prosecutor for the West Midlands CPS Complex Casework Unit and Serious Violence, Organised Crime and Exploitation Unit, said: "We have decided to prosecute Nathaniel Spencer for a number of serious sexual offences allegedly carried out against patients while he was working as a doctor - including assault by penetration and sexual assault against a child. "Our prosecutors have worked at length to support a detailed and complex investigation by Staffordshire Police, carefully reviewing the available evidence to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings." Spencer, from Birmingham, will appear at North Staffordshire Justice Centre on 20 January 2026.

The TV chef will start by opening a restaurant in London's Leicester Square next spring in partnership with Brava Hospitality Group, which runs another Italian eatery chain, Prezzo. Oliver, 50, has presented a host of TV shows since first appearing on screen in The Naked Chef in 1999 and has written more than two dozen cookery books. He said the relaunch carried risk and opportunity, as "in theory it's not the easiest time to return but conversely, I think it's the perfect time". "I believe the mid-market needs excitement, surprise and delight and that's exactly what I am planning on delivering," he said. "I will drive the menus, make sure the sourcing is right, the staff training, and ensure the look and feel of the restaurant is brought to life in the right way." Jamie's Italian was launched in 2008 in Oxford after Oliver went into partnership with his Italian mentor, chef Gennaro Contaldo. The chain eventually grew to around 40 sites. But it went into administration in 2019, leading to the closure of its remaining UK sites and hundreds of job losses. The chain continued to operate overseas and has more than 30 restaurants in 25 countries. Brava will relaunch the brand in the UK. Read more on Sky News:Scarlett was groomed from 14Ex-doctor charged over alleged sex assaults Ed Loftus, global director of Jamie Oliver Restaurants, called it an "exciting next chapter" for the business in the UK, bringing together "one of the world's most recognised chefs with a highly capable operator and the long-term investment to build something with real longevity". James Brown, chief executive of Brava, said the company wanted to "bring world-class Italian dining to the heart of the UK high street". "A lot of time and energy has gone into evolving the Jamie's Italian concept to make that vision a reality," he said. "This marks an exciting new chapter for both Jamie's Italian and Brava, and reflects our commitment to reimagining the high street with exceptional, modern hospitality."

He said that although doing so was not the government's current policy, he could see how other countries outside the EU had benefited from such arrangements. "It's self-evident that leaving the European Union badly damaged our economy, took us out of an important marketplace and created serious friction, that untruths were being peddled by those that thought exiting the EU would be a good thing," Mr Lammy told the News Agents podcast. "And it's why every single day that I was foreign secretary, I returned to the subject of our relationship with the European Union." Asked repeatedly if he would like to see the UK in a customs union, he said: "That is not currently our policy. That's not currently where we are. "But you can see countries like Turkey with a customs union seemingly benefiting and seeing growth in their economy, and again, that's self-evident." The Prime Minister's economic adviser Minouche Shafik has also reportedly advocated behind the scenes for joining a customs union. Mr Lammy's comments were being taken as the clearest indication yet that the government is considering bringing the UK further back in line with the European Union. But when Sir Keir Starmer was asked to respond and say why he was not advocating for membership given that growth is an ongoing priority for his government, he was quick to dampen down the speculation. The prime minister said Labour would be sticking to its manifesto, which pledged to deepen ties with the EU without returning to the customs union, single market or freedom of movement. "Well, the position that we are taking has been clearly set out in the manifesto, and then we've been following it," Sir Keir said. "And earlier this year, we had the first UK-EU summit ever, and we had 10 strands for a closer relationship. "So we've totally reset relations with the EU. "That's good for our economy, good for defence and security, good for the work that we need to do on energy. Earlier a spokesperson for Number 10 said: "We are strengthening relations with the EU whilst sticking to our red lines." "The prime minister reiterated that on Monday evening at the Lady Mayor's Banquet." Sir Keir set out his foreign policy vision at the banquet, as is tradition. He said the Brexit vote was a "fair, democratic expression" but the way it was "sold and delivered was wrong". "There's no credible economic vision for Britain not positioning us as an open trading economy," the Number 10 spokesman said. "We have to be grown up about trade-offs. We have redefined bonds with EU and stuck to our red lines." On Mr Lammy's comments, the spokesman added: "That is not our current policy or where we are."

When is the World Cup draw? The draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place in Washington on Friday December 5 at 5pm UK and Ireland time. The names will start coming out of the hat just before 6pm. Can England and Scotland work out who they will face? There are some clues. A new seeding system means that England (seeded fourth) cannot meet European champions Spain (1) or world champions Argentina (2) until the semi-finals. And they can't face France (3) until the final. Seeding and pots explained Scotland, meanwhile, are one of 11 sides who could feature in the curtain-raiser against Mexico. England are in Pot 1. Scotland are in Pot 3. That means they could be drawn together in the group stage - as they were at Euro 2020. A maximum of two European teams can be in one group. No group can have more than one side from another single confederation. What's the deal for play-off hopefuls Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Wales? There will be 42 countries in the draw - with the remaining six places for play-off winners also allocated. Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Wales still have work to do to qualify, with their play-off games in March. But they will find out who their potential opponents will be. They will be in Pot 4. Who is doing the draw? US President Donald Trump will be with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino in Washington and there have been some famous faces brought in to help with the World Cup draw, including Rio Ferdinand, Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge and Shaquille O'Neal. There will also be performances from Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and...Village People. When and where will the games be? The tournament is stretched across Canada, Mexico and USA. Mexico City will host the opening game of the tournament and that match will feature Mexico. The final will be at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. World Cup host cities and stadiums On Friday, we'll find out who is playing who. But we won't know where those games will take place - or kick-off times - until Saturday. Will games be on in the middle of the night? Kick-off times are still TBC. At last summer's Club World Cup in the USA, kick-off times were largely favourable to a European audience, with the final taking place at 8pm. However, FIFA has been considering moving some kick-off times, after extreme heat affected some Club World Cup games. We'll get a clearer picture once the full schedule is mapped out on Saturday - but that could be subject to change. Who has already qualified for the World Cup? Who is in the play-offs? UEFA Play-off Path A:Semi-final: Italy vs Northern IrelandSemi-final: Wales vs Bosnia and HerzegovinaFinal: Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy/Northern Ireland Play-off Path B:Semi-final: Ukraine vs SwedenSemi-final: Poland vs AlbaniaFinal: Ukraine/Sweden vs Poland/Albania Play-off Path C:Semi-final: Turkey vs RomaniaSemi-final: Slovakia vs KosovoFinal: Slovakia/Kosovo vs Turkey/Romania Play-off Path D:Semi-final: Denmark vs North MacedoniaSemi-final: Czech Republic vs Republic of IrelandFinal: Czech Republic/Republic of Ireland vs Denmark/North Macedonia Inter-confederation Play-off Path A:Semi-final: New Caledonia vs JamaicaFinal: New Caledonia/Jamaica vs Congo Play-off Path B:Semi-final: Bolivia vs SurinameFinal: Bolivia/Suriname vs Iraq