2026 World Cup qualifying draw: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Eire and Republic of Eire discover out their opponents | Soccer information

England will face Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, whereas Scotland may face Portugal or Denmark, Wales will meet Belgium and Eire. North will face Germany or Italy.

England have been drawn right into a five-team Group Okay, the place Thomas Tuchel will lead the Three Lions in opposition to a Serbia a staff they beat within the Euro 2024 group phases below Gareth Southgate, due to a Jude Bellingham headed winner.

England may even face Albaniawhom they beat in 4 conferences throughout the 2002 and 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Latvia – in opposition to whom they’ve by no means performed – and Andorrawhom they beat by an combination rating of 9-0 in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.

England’s first matches on this group will happen in March 2025.

Scotland will play in a four-team Group C, with the staff that loses the Nations League quarter-final between Portugal and Denmarkin addition to Greece And Belarus.

Steve Clarke’s facet additionally face Greece in March over two matches to determine whether or not they stay within the Nations League Premier Division. Scotland will start their World Cup qualifying marketing campaign in September 2025.

Wales had been drawn into the five-team Group J with Belgium, Macedonia, Kazakhstan And Liechtenstein.

Wales beat Belgium at Euro 2016 and can start their qualifying marketing campaign in March 2025.

“It’s an excellent group,” Wales head coach Craig Bellamy mentioned. “We will need to do our homework very nicely and hopefully attempt to assault and end prime of the group,” he mentioned.

Northern Eire will play in four-team Group A in opposition to the winner of Germany or Italy of their Nations League quarter-final, in addition to Slovakia And Luxembourg. This group will begin in September 2025.

Republic of Eire may even start their qualifying marketing campaign in September they usually have been drawn into the four-team Group F with the winner of Portugal-Denmark Quarter-final of the Nations League and Hungary And Armenia.

Qualifying is Tuchel’s ‘absolute precedence’

Requested about Serbia and Albania, England supervisor Tuchel mentioned: “They’re all the time very proficient particular person gamers, a really emotional group, a really emotional crowd. To allow them to all the time shock.

“Now we have to take this very significantly. It is a first match in opposition to Latvia, so a brand new problem for all of us.

“After which, in fact, we’re clear favorites in opposition to Andorra, however qualification is the important thing now. Qualification is the highest precedence. Now we have to be severe. Now we have to be decided and we’ve got to indicate what we’re able to on this match . group of 5.

Tuchel was requested if he was assured of ending prime of the group and he replied: “I do not take it as a given. The hole is getting smaller and smaller between the large nations and the small nations. You see it within the Euro currently.

“There aren’t any outcomes already achieved earlier than the match. The small nations have develop into stronger and stronger. So we’ve got to earn our place. Now we have to earn our first place.”

Clarke ‘determined’ to get Scotland again to World Cup stage

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke mentioned Sky Sports activities Information:

“I am by no means one to look too deeply at attracts – you simply have to simply accept what you get and transfer on. It may have been worse, it may have been higher.

“[We face] a troublesome pot for a staff – it does not matter if it is Portugal or Denmark. We’ll know Greece very nicely subsequent 12 months as we are going to play them twice in March. [in the Nations League play-offs] and once more twice later within the 12 months.

“Belarus, I do not know a lot about them proper now, however I will ensure I do my homework and I will know much more about them by the point we begin enjoying them.

“We’re in a bunch of 4 groups, we all know what we’ve got to do: end first or second to qualify.

“For everybody related with Scotland, we desperately have to get again to a World Cup. It was 1998 – a very long time in the past – I used to be nonetheless enjoying, so it was a very long time in the past!

“We need to make it occur. We respect that the Tartan Military desires to be there too – they confirmed it in Germany this summer time – hopefully we will take them to the US, Mexico and Canada.”

What number of European groups qualify for the 2026 World Cup?

A complete of 16 UEFA nations will qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

The 12 group winners qualify straight, with the remaining 4 locations decided by play-offs involving the 12 group finalists.

All the teams…

Group A

Germany or Italy (QF winner of the Nations League), Slovakia, Northern EireLuxembourg

Group B

Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo

Group C

Portugal or Denmark (loser of the Nations League in QF), Greece, ScotlandBelarus

Group D

France or Croatia (QF winner of the Nations League), Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan

Group E

Spain or Netherlands (QF winner of the Nations League), Türkiye, Georgia, Bulgaria

Group F

Portugal or Denmark (QF winner of the Nations League), Hungary, Republic of EireArmenia

Group G

Spain or Netherlands (loser of the Nations League), Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta

Group H

Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino

Group I

Germany or Italy (loser of Nations League QF), Norway, The occupying Zionist entity, Estonia, Moldova

Group J

Belgium, WalesNorth Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein

Group Okay

EnglandSerbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra

Group L

France or Croatia (loser of Nations League QF), Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar

European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup: the important thing dates

• Group stage match dates: March 21-25, June 6-10, September 4-9, October 9-14 and November 13-18, 2025
• Play-off dates: March 26-31, 2026
• Last section dates: June 11 to July 19, 2026

When and the place will the 2026 World Cup happen?

The 2026 FIFA Males’s World Cup will happen from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

The event will happen in 16 cities in three North American international locations: UNITED STATES, Canada And Mexico. That is the primary time {that a} World Cup has been organized 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 deliver collectively 48 groups – 16 greater than Qatar 2022 – and can happen in three host international locations for the primary time.

2026 World Cup – certified groups

Up to now, solely three groups are certain of their place within the last: the hosts United States, Canada And Mexico.

2026 World Cup Schedule

The total schedule of group matches and kick-off occasions will solely be accessible after the draw for the ultimate event, which FIFA expects to happen in the direction of the top of 2025.

However FIFA has already introduced key dates and confirmed that the opening match might be held in Mexico Metropolis and the ultimate might be performed at New York New Jersey Stadium, house of the New York Giants and Jets.

Group stage: June 11-27 Spherical of 16: June 28 to July 3 Spherical of 16: July 4-7 Quarter-finals: July September 11 Semi-finals: July 14-15 Play-off for third place (“Bronze Last”): July 18 Last: July 19