England will face Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra in 2026 World Cup qualifying, whereas Scotland might face Portugal or Denmark, Wales meet Belgium and Northern Eire tackle both Germany or Italy.
England had been drawn in a five-team Group Okay, the place Thomas Tuchel will take cost of the Three Lions towards a Serbia facet they beat within the Euro 2024 group phases beneath Gareth Southgate, because of a headed winner from Jude Bellingham.
England may even face Albania, who they beat throughout 4 conferences in qualifiers for the 2002 and 2022 World Cups, Latvia – who they’ve by no means performed – and Andorra, who they beat by an combination rating of 9-0 throughout 2022 World Cup qualifying.
England’s first fixtures on this group might be at residence, with Albania visiting on March 21, 2025 and Latvia three days later.
Scotland will play in a four-team Group C, that includes the workforce that loses the Nations League quarter-final between Portugal and Denmark, in addition to Greece and Belarus.
Steve Clarke’s facet may even face Greece in March over two legs to determine in the event that they keep within the prime tier of the Nations League.
They kick off their World Cup qualifying marketing campaign with journeys to Portugal or Denmark on September 5, then Belarus three days later.
Scotland are unbeaten of their final three matches – beating Poland and Croatia, in addition to drawing with Portugal
Wales had been drawn in five-team Group J with Belgium, Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein.
Wales famously beat Belgium at Euro 2016, and can begin their qualifying bid at residence to Kazakhstan in March 2025, earlier than going through North Macedonia away.
“It’s a good group,” mentioned Wales head coach Craig Bellamy. “We’re going to have to do our homework really well, and hopefully try and attack it and finish top of the group,” he mentioned.
Northern Eire will play within the four-team Group A towards the winner of Germany or Italy from their Nations League quarter-final, in addition to Slovakia and Luxembourg. That group will start in September 2025 with Michael O’Neil’s facet away to Luxembourg and Germany or Italy.
Republic of Eire may even begin their qualifying marketing campaign in September and so they have been drawn within the four-team Group F with the winner of the Portugal-Denmark Nations League quarter-final and opening opponents Hungary and Armenia.
Qualification is Tuchel’s ‘prime precedence’
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England supervisor Thomas Tuchel believes that qualifying for the World Cup will not be as straightforward as many may assume
Requested about going through Serbia and Albania, England boss Tuchel mentioned: “They are always very talented individual players, a very emotional group, a very emotional crowd. So they can always surprise.
“Now we have to take this very significantly. It is a first fixture with Latvia, so a brand new problem for all of us.
“And then we are clear favourites, of course, against Andorra, but qualification is key now. Qualification is top priority. We have to be serious. We have to be determined, and we have to show what we’re up for in this group of five.”
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Tuchel was requested if he was assured of ending prime of the group, and replied: “I don’t see it as a given. The gap closes more and more between the big nations and the small nations. You see it in the Euros lately.
“There aren’t any such factor as outcomes which are already carried out earlier than the match is performed. The smaller nations have turn into stronger and stronger. So now we have to earn our place. Now we have to earn our prime spot.”
Clarke ‘determined’ to guide Scotland again to World Cup stage
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Scotland head coach Steve Clarke displays on Scotland’s 2026 World Cup qualifying draw the place they may face Portugal or Denmark, Greece and Belarus
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke instructed Sky Sports activities Information:
“I’m never one for looking too deep into draws – you just have to accept what you get and get on with it. It could have been worse, could have been better.
“[We face] a tough pot one workforce – it does not matter if it is Portugal or Denmark. Greece we’ll get to know very effectively over the subsequent 12 months as a result of we play them twice in March [in the Nations League play-offs] and twice once more later within the 12 months.
“Belarus, I don’t know too much about just now, but I’ll make sure I do my homework and I’ll know a lot more about them by the time we get to playing them.
“We’re in a four-team group, we all know what now we have to do – end first or second to qualify.
“For everyone connected with Scotland, we’re desperate to get back to a World Cup. It was 1998 – a long time ago – I was still playing, so that was a long time ago!
“We need to get there. We respect the Tartan Military need to be there as effectively – they confirmed that in Germany in the summertime – hopefully we will take them to USA, Mexico and Canada.”
How many European teams qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
A total of 16 UEFA nations will qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The 12 group winners qualify directly, with the four remaining berths determined by play-offs involving the 12 group runners-up.
The groups in full…
Group A
Germany or Italy (Nations League QF winner), Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg
Group B
Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo
Group C
Portugal or Denmark (Nations League QF loser), Greece, Scotland, Belarus
Group D
France or Croatia (Nations League QF winner), Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan
Group E
Spain or Netherlands (Nations League QF winner), Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria
Group F
Portugal or Denmark (Nations League QF winner), Hungary, Republic of Eire, Armenia
Group G
Spain or Netherlands (Nations League QF loser), Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta
Group H
Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino
Group I
Germany or Italy (Nations League QF loser), Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova
Group J
Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein
Group Okay
England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra
Group L
France or Croatia (Nations League QF loser), Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar
World Cup 2026 European qualifiers: Key dates
- Group-stage match dates: March 21-25, June 6-10, September 4-9, October 9-14 and November 13-18, 2025
- Play-off match dates: March 26-31 2026
- Closing event dates: June 11 to July 19 2026
When and the place is the 2026 World Cup?
The 2026 FIFA males’s World Cup takes place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
The event will happen throughout 16 cities in three North American international locations: the United States, Canada and Mexico. It’s the first time a World Cup has been hosted by three nations.
The final time North America hosted the event was in 1994, when Brazil triumphed after beating Italy on penalties.
An expanded World Cup will characteristic 48 groups – 16 greater than in Qatar 2022 – and happen throughout three host nations for the primary time.
2026 World Cup – certified groups
Solely three groups to this point are certain of their place on the finals: the hosts USA, Canada and Mexico.
World Cup 2026 schedule
The complete fixture record with group video games and kick-off instances will solely be accessible after the draw for the ultimate event, which FIFA says is anticipated to happen in direction of the tip of 2025.
However FIFA has already introduced key dates and confirmed that the opening match might be held in Mexico Metropolis, with the ultimate happening on the New York New Jersey Stadium – residence of the New York Giants and New York Jets.
Group stage: June 11-27 Spherical of 32: June 28 to July 3 Spherical of 16: July 4-7 Quarter-finals: July 9/11 Semi-finals: July 14-15 Third-place play-off (‘Bronze ultimate’): July 18 Closing: July 19
