World Cup 2026 qualifying draw: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Eire and Republic of Eire uncover opponents

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

England had been drawn in a five-team Group Ok, the place Thomas Tuchel will take cost of the Three Lions towards a Serbia aspect they beat within the Euro 2024 group levels beneath Gareth Southgate, because of a headed winner from Jude Bellingham.

England can 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 mixture rating of 9-0 throughout 2022 World Cup qualifying.

England’s first fixtures on this group can be at dwelling, with Albania visiting on March 21, 2025 and Latvia three days later.

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

Steve Clarke’s aspect can even face Greece in March over two legs to resolve in the event that they keep within the high 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.

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 dwelling to Kazakhstan in March 2025, earlier than going through North Macedonia away.

“It’s a good group,” stated 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 stated.

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 aspect away to Luxembourg and Germany or Italy.

Republic of Eire can even begin their qualifying marketing campaign in September they usually 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 ‘high precedence’

Requested about going through Serbia and Albania, England boss Tuchel stated: “They are always very talented individual players, a very emotional group, a very emotional crowd. So they can always surprise.

“We’ve 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.”

Tuchel was requested if he was assured of ending high 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 are not any such factor as outcomes which can be already performed earlier than the match is performed. The smaller nations have develop into stronger and stronger. So we have now to earn our place. We’ve to earn our high spot.”

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

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke informed 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 staff – it would not matter if it is Portugal or Denmark. Greece we’ll get to know very effectively over the following 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 we have now 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 wish to get there. We admire the Tartan Military wish 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 Ok

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
• Remaining match 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 match 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 match 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 thus far 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 match, which FIFA says is predicted to happen in direction of the tip of 2025.

However FIFA has already introduced key dates and confirmed that the opening match can be held in Mexico Metropolis, with the ultimate happening on the New York New Jersey Stadium – dwelling 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 Sept. 11 Semi-finals: July 14-15 Third-place play-off (‘Bronze closing’): July 18 Remaining: July 19