World Cup Qualifying 2026

[Judio1999]

Europe will have more places to qualify now FIFA have made it a 48 team event

There will be 12 Groups now (new record)
12 Group Winners will go through and 4 play off winners
The 16 playoff teams will be the 12 runners-up in the World Cup qualifying groups, plus four teams that finished top of a Nations League group this week.

Seedings are linked to Nations League performance

The 12 top-seeded nations are the eight Nations League quarterfinalists, plus four more teams ranked highest by FIFA, including England.


The 54-team draw will allocate six groups of four teams and six groups of five teams.

The bigger groups can start in March or June.

Places in four-team qualifying groups must be reserved for the four teams that advance to the Nations League Final Four in June.

Those World Cup groups can only start play in September.


Pot 1: Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria.

Pot 2: Ukraine, Turkey, Sweden, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Norway.

Port 3: Scotland, Slovenia, Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Israel.

Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Belarus, Kosovo, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faeroe Islands, Latvia, Lithuania.

Pot 5: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, San Marino

 

[Judio1999]

And after all that we still wont know !!!!

The FIFA draw next month is unusually complex and lacking clarity on the day because the eight Nations League quarterfinalists will be placeholders. Their precise placing will be decided after the two-leg quarterfinals are played on March 20 and 23.

 

[nick logan]

Hmmn , some good places to visit there , may come out of retirement for a game or 2.

 

[Judio1999]

Full details of the chaotic draw are in here

2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Chomp]

England are in Group K with Serbia, Albania, Latvia & Andorra.

2026 World Cup qualifying draw LIVE: Watch stream & follow updates as England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland find out opponents

England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland find out 2026 World Cup qualifying opponents - watch live stream and follow text updates.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[hanwellbee]

Why couldn't Andorra go to Kazakhstan? Can't afford the fares?

 

[alexcavell]

Not a fan of the "either/or" permutations based on the Nations League results. Countries could tactically lose a Nations League game to end up in an easier qualifying group.

 

[Banana]

Why couldn't Andorra go to Kazakhstan? Can't afford the fares?

They can. But Kazakhstan can only go to one of a few countries in that timezone.

 

[CTBee]

England have Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra in their group. Seems a pretty favourable draw.

 

[Pixelator]

That's almost a quarter of all FIFA-recognised countries taking part.

Good grief!

 

[Super_horns]

Saw this joke earlier:

“Sadly there wasn’t anybody we could have drawn from pot 5 ending in IA to keep the sequence going!”

 

[JANORAK]

They can. But Kazakhstan can only go to one of a few countries in that timezone.

Why? Their cycling team always gets to European road races. They could base themselves in Europe (haha!) like Brazil do when playing friendlies.

 

[hanwellbee]

They can go to Wales but not a few miles south to Andorra? Seems strange to me...

 

[kevalutonbee]

Good luck to Wembley selling c 340,000 tickets across those matches

 

[Judio1999]

Serbia v Albania match may be a bit tasty
???

 

[Banana]

They can go to Wales but not a few miles south to Andorra? Seems strange to me...

They can go to Wales, they can go to Andorra. But not BOTH Wales and Andorra.

 

[Pixelator]

So you're saying that a country in central Asia can't play 2 games in western Europe?

Hmm, I wonder what the solution to that conundrum is?

 

[Sheerwater Bee]

If I had my way, I'd stop all international football and tournaments. Complete waste of time and just a way for the crooks at FIFA & UEFA to line their own pockets.

 

[SpiderBee]

If I had my way, I'd stop all international football and tournaments. Complete waste of time and just a way for the crooks at FIFA & UEFA to line their own pockets.

Radical, but something has to change for sure.
Of course, we have been saying for years that football will eat itself but it hasn't happened yet!
Albania v Serbia is disastrous for FIFA btw.

 

[horshambees]

Saw this joke earlier:

“Sadly there wasn’t anybody we could have drawn from pot 5 ending in IA to keep the sequence going!”

Anne Doria

 

[HollywoodBee]

My only interest in the World Cup is Brentford players remaining injury free.

 

[WarrenBee]

Bothered.

 

[A Real Mysteron]

As usual, England get the group of duff

 

[Super_horns]

Norway are threatening to refuse playing Israel .

Norwegian Football Association Refuses to Play Against Israel in World Cup Qualifiers

The Norwegian Football Association has announced its refusal to compete against the Israeli national team in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for Europe, citing the ongoing genocide committed against mil

en.safa.news

 

[Judio1999]

Bothered.

If anyone is

Here are all the fixtures

https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/0294-1c90033b12f4-a0311a9ebc79-1000/eq_24-26_group_stage_fixtures_by_group.pdf

 

[Judio1999]

The fixtures (So we have to play a friendly on the 2 missing dates)

England v Albania 19:45 Fri 21 Mar
England v Latvia 19:45 Mon 24 Mar

Andorra v England 17:00 Sat 7 Jun

England v Andorra 17:00 Sat 6 Sep
Serbia v England 19:45 Tue 9 Sep

Latvia v England 19:45 Tue 14 Oct


England v Serbia 19:45 Thu 13 Nov
Albania v England 17:00 Sun 16 Nov

 

[hanworthbee]

Uzbekistan have qualified

 

[SpiderBee]

Uzbekistan have qualified

........sprints to the pub to celebrate ??????

 

[Super_horns]

Congratulations to Uzbekistan and Jordan .

Great to see new teams qualify.

 

[SpiderBee]

Uzbekistan have qualified

I see the Qatar legacy has gone well!

 

[Super_horns]

Belgium on fire but the penalty incident didn’t help - seemed to be harsh on Wales .

 

[Wise old Bee]

VAR checking for a Wales penalty. First penalty took ages to check, time to put the kettle on.

 

[Wise old Bee]

Boom! Always liked that Harry Wilson.

 

[Super_horns]

VAR checking for a Wales penalty. First penalty took ages to check, time to put the kettle on.

.

Keeper missed the ball and took out the player but you don’t always see them given .

 

[longtimeagobee]

Go Wales!

 

[Old B]

Nice reminder that little #### Conor Roberts will be gracing the GTech next season, one for Silly Hat to start grooming for his housery list.

 

[LongLostBee]

Come on Belgium sort your act out!
Be an absolutely travesty if wales get something from this after that insane penalty decision.

 

[Super_horns]

Come on Belgium sort your act out!
Be an absolutely travesty if wales get something from this after that insane penalty decision.

TBF the Belgium penalty was very harsh too .

 

[longtimeagobee]

And again!

 

[TW1Bee]

Why have Belgium changed their kit when they are the home side . Different rules in WC qualifiers or some special arrangement?

 

[Hippobee]

Wales equalise! 3-3!

 

[Gee Bee]

They’ll be singing in the valleys right now

 

[JANORAK]

Why have Belgium changed their kit when they are the home side . Different rules in WC qualifiers or some special arrangement?

Anniversary of the Women’s team doing something or other in that kit.

 

[nick logan]

What a game

 

[JANORAK]

Rested Trossard and anor. at half time. Wales took that as disrespect, I reckon.
Faes is still on the pitch so Wales have a chance! Belgies just subbed a sub…

 

[LongLostBee]

TBF the Belgium penalty was very harsh too .

Think I was out of the room for that bit but yeah I’ve just gone and found it and I agree it’s very debatable. Looks worse in realtime.
If I was the ref and rule maker neither are pens for sure. These days the Johnson one is a lottery.

 

[LongLostBee]

B*llocks. Missed the goal finding that clip ??
Oh well. Yay Belgium ?

 

[JANORAK]

B*llocks. Missed the goal finding that clip ??
Oh well. Yay Belgium ?

VAR check again for ball out of play on 4-3

 

[HaylingBee74]

Isn’t it time to stop the clock on VAR checks

 

[JANORAK]

3-3 after another 5 mins VAR…
Both Managers now booked…