Groups of 2026 World Cup European Qualifiers Revealed

14 Dec 2024 ScoreWaves Staff view

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The stage is set! Friday’s draw in Zurich revealed the European qualifying groups, mapping out each team’s potential journey to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Excitement is already building as nations prepare for the road ahead in their quest for glory on football’s grandest stage.

2024 Euro finalist England were drawn against Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra. Incoming England manager Thomas Tuchel was in Zurich in his first formal appearance as the Three Lions’ manager. Following the draw, Tuchel said, “I have huge respect for Serbia and Albania. They can always surprise. They have a strong history of technical football, an emotional crowd and emotional players. They have two famous ex-players as coaches so we should be very aware of that. England has never played Latvia so this is a new experience for all of us, and then of course we have Andorra where we are huge favorites.”

The draw features six groups of four teams and six groups of five. Teams will battle it out home and away throughout next year to secure their ticket to the World Cup. In a unique twist, the eight nations competing in the UEFA Nations League (NL) quarterfinals were automatically assigned to Pot 1, joining heavyweights like England, Belgium, Switzerland, and Austria. However, the exact groups for the NL quarterfinalists hinge on their match results—winners will be placed in one group, while the losers land in another.

2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers

Group A: Germany/Italy winners, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo
Group C: Portugal/Denmark losers, Greece, Scotland, Belarus
Group D: France/Croatia winners, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan
Group E: Spain/Netherlands winners, Türkiye, Georgia, Bulgaria
Group F: Portugal/Denmark winners, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Armenia
Group G: Spain/Netherlands losers, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino
Group I: Germany/Italy losers, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra
Group L: France/Croatia losers, Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar

How Many European Teams Will Qualify for the 2026 World Cup?

A total of 16 UEFA nations will secure their spot at the 2026 World Cup. The 12 group winners will earn direct qualification, while the remaining four spots will be decided through play-offs featuring the 12 group runners-up.

How Do Play-Offs for the 2026 World Cup Work?

The play-offs for the 2026 World Cup will involve the 12 group runners-up, along with the four highest-ranked group winners from the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League who didn’t secure a top-two finish in their European Qualifiers group.

These 16 teams will be divided into four play-off paths, each featuring four teams. The play-offs will consist of single-leg semi-finals followed by single-leg finals, all taking place within the same international window in March 2026.