Draw made for 2026 World Cup qualifiers

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Various nations have discovered their opponents for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers following a draw in Zurich.

Are you happy with the draw?

Author - Mark Lee

FIFA World Cup 2022 - Final - Argentina 3:3 (4:2 p) France - Lusail Stadium, Lusail - December 18, 2022

England, now led by new head coach Thomas Tuchel, will face Serbia, Albania, Latvia, and Andorra in their group.

Wales find themselves up against familiar rivals Belgium, alongside North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein.

Scotland’s group includes Greece, Belarus, and the loser of the Portugal v Denmark Nations League quarter-final, while Northern Ireland will take on Slovakia, Luxembourg, and the winner of the Germany v Italy Nations League clash.

Matches will take place over five international breaks from March to November 2025. Group winners will secure automatic qualification for the World Cup, hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, with runners-up heading into play-offs.

Scotland and Northern Ireland, drawn in smaller four-team groups, will start their campaigns in September. Meanwhile, Scotland also face Greece in a Nations League play-off in March.

England fans! Are you happy with this draw? eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h4h...

[image or embed]

— European Super Football (@superfootball.bsky.social) 14 December 2024 at 12:42

How does World Cup qualifying work?

The 2026 World Cup qualifiers are split into 12 groups—six with four teams and six with five. Teams will play each other home and away, following the usual round-robin format.

The winners of each group will automatically secure a spot at the World Cup. The runners-up will join four teams from the Nations League in the play-offs.

These 16 teams will be seeded based on their group-stage performance and drawn into four paths. Each path will feature single-leg semi-finals and a final, with the winners booking their place at the tournament. 

When and where is the World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup will begin on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City and will conclude on July 19, 2026, in New Jersey. 

This expanded tournament will feature 48 teams and will span a record 39 days. The new format will consist of 12 groups, each containing four teams, followed by a knockout round starting with the last 32 teams for the first time.

It promises to be a memorable occasion. That is despite some pundits and players questioning the decision to add extra teams. 

Location: Zürich, Switzerland

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