England will face Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra in 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Scotland might play Portugal or Denmark, Wales face Belgium and Northern Eire face Germany or Italy.
England Drawn into Group Okay of 5 groups, Thomas Tuchel will lead the Three Lions towards a Serbia Led by Gareth Southgate, they beat the Euro 2024 group stage due to Jude Bellingham’s header Profitable targets.
England can even face AlbaniaThey beat them in 4 matches in World Cup qualifying in 2002 and 2022, Latvia – who they by no means performed – and AndorraWithin the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, they defeated their opponents 9-0 on mixture.
England’s first recreation on this group might be at residence, with Albania away to Latvia on March 21, 2025 and three days later.
Jude Bellingham scores for England towards Serbia at Euro 2024
Scotland might be drawn in Group C of 4 groups, together with the groups that misplaced within the Nations League quarter-finals portugal and denmarkadditionally Greece and belarus.
Steve Clark’s facet can even play two legs towards Greece in March to resolve whether or not they stay within the high flight of the Nations League.
They may journey to Portugal or Denmark on September 5 and to Belarus three days later to kick off World Cup qualifying.
Scotland are unbeaten of their final three video games – beating Poland and Croatia and drawing with Portugal
wells Among the many 5 groups positioned in Group J Belgium, macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein.
Wales famously beat Belgium at Euro 2016 and can begin their qualifying marketing campaign at residence towards Kazakhstan in March 2025 earlier than taking part in away to North Macedonia.
“It is a good crew,” Wells head coach Craig Bellamy stated. “We’ve got to do our homework and hope to assault laborious and end first within the group,” he stated.
Northern Eire Will play towards the winner of the 4 groups in Group A germany or italy beginning with their Nations League quarter-finals, and Slovakia and Luxembourg. The group will start in September 2025, with Michael O’Neill’s facet touring to Luxembourg, Germany or Italy.
republic of eire They can even begin their qualifying marketing campaign in September, having been drawn into 4 groups in Group F, the winner of which is Portugal-Denmark NFC Quarterfinals and Opening Sport Opponents Hungary and Armenia.
Qualification is Tuchel’s ‘high precedence’
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England coach Thomas Tuchel believes qualifying for the World Cup is probably not as straightforward as many suppose
When requested about dealing with Serbia and Albania, England coach Tuchel stated: “They at all times have very proficient particular person gamers, a really emotional crew, a really emotional group of individuals. In order that they at all times give individuals one thing to do. Deliver surprises.
“We’ve got to take it very critically. It is the primary recreation towards Latvia, so it is a new problem for all of us.
“In fact we’re clear favorites towards Andorra, however now qualification is vital. Qualification is the precedence. We’ve got to take it critically. We’ve got to be decided and we’ve to indicate what we will do on this recreation Goal.
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Tuchel was requested if he was assured of ending first within the group, and he replied: “I do not take it without any consideration. The hole between large nations and small nations is getting smaller and smaller. You possibly can see this on the current European Cup. a bit.
“Earlier than the competitors begins, the outcomes do not exist. The smaller nations have develop into stronger. So we’ve to earn our place. We’ve got to earn our high spot.”
Clark ‘determined’ to guide Scotland again to World Cup stage
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Scotland head coach Steve Clark seems again on Scotland’s 2026 World Cup qualifying draw as they face Portugal or Denmark, Greece and Belarus
Scotland head coach Steve Clark Inform sky sports activities information:
“I’ve by no means been one to take attracts too critically – you simply take what you get and stick with it. It might have been worse, it might have been higher.
“[We face] It is a robust recreation for a crew – whether or not it is Portugal or Denmark. We’ll know Greece higher subsequent 12 months as a result of we performed them twice in March [in the Nations League play-offs] Two extra later this 12 months.
“Belarus, I don’t know a lot about them proper now, however I’ll be sure I do my homework and I’ll know extra about them once we play.
“We’re a four-team group and we all know what we’ve to do – end first or second to qualify.
“For everybody linked with Scotland, we have been determined to get again to the World Cup. It was 1998 – a very long time in the past – and I used to be nonetheless taking part in soccer, so it was a very long time in the past!
“We wish to get there. We recognize that the Tartans wish to be there too – they confirmed that in Germany over the summer time – and hopefully we will take them to america, Mexico and Canada.”
What number of European groups will qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
A complete of 16 UEFA nations have certified for the 2026 World Cup.
The primary place within the 12 teams will qualify straight, and the remaining 4 seats might be decided by means of the play-offs of the second place within the 12 teams.
Every group totally…
Group A
Germany or Italy (Nationwide League semi-final winners), Slovakia, Northern EireLuxembourg
Group B
Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo
Group C
Portugal or Denmark (Nations League QF losers), Greece, Scotlandbelarus
Group D
France or Croatia (Nationwide League semi-final winners), Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan
Group E
Spain or Netherlands (Nationwide League semi-final winners), Türkiye, Georgia, Bulgaria
Group F
Portugal or Denmark (Nationwide League semi-final winners), Hungary, republic of eireArmenia
Group G
Spain or Netherlands (Nationwide League QF losers), Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta
Group H
Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino
first group
Germany or Italy (Nationwide League QF loser), Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova
Group J
Belgium, wellsNorth Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein
Group Okay
EnglandSerbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra
Group L
France or Croatia (Nationwide League QF losers), Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar
2026 World Cup European Qualifiers: Key Dates
- Group stage competitors dates: March 21 to 25, June 6 to 10, September 4 to 9, October 9 to 14, and November 13 to 18, 2025
- Play-off match dates: March 26-31, 2026
- Last date: June 11 to July 19, 2026
When and the place will the 2026 World Cup be held?
The 2026 FIFA Males’s World Cup might be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
The competitors might be held in 16 cities in three North American nations: USA, Canada and Mexico. That is the primary time the World Cup has been hosted by three nations.
The final time North America hosted the event was in 1994, when Brazil defeated Italy in a penalty shootout to win the championship.
The expanded World Cup will characteristic 48 groups, 16 greater than in Qatar in 2022, and might be held amongst three host nations for the primary time.
2026 World Cup – Certified Groups
Thus far, solely three groups have confirmed themselves within the finals: the hosts United States, Canada and Mexico.
2026 World Cup Schedule
The complete schedule, together with group matches and kick-off instances, will solely be launched after the draw for the ultimate, which FIFA says is predicted to happen in late 2025.
However FIFA has introduced the important thing dates and confirmed that the opening recreation might be performed in Mexico Metropolis and the ultimate might be performed on the New York-New Jersey Stadium, residence of the New York Giants and New York Jets.
Group stage: June 11-27 Prime 32: June 28 to July 3 Prime 16: July 4-7 quarterfinals: July Sept. 11 Semifinals: July 14-15 Third place playoff (“Bronze Medal Last”): July 18 Last: July 19
