European qualifier groups for 2026 FIFA World Cup revealed

Total 12 groups have been formed for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The European qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been confirmed. The matches are set to start in March 2025 and will end with the play-offs in March 2026.

12 groups have been formed some with four teams while others with five teams. The Group also consists of nations in the UEFA Nations League quarter-final. After those encounters in March, four winners of those battles will be put in a group of four teams.

The qualifying commences in March and those groups who have four national teams will start their contest in September. As usual, they will play traditional home-and-away matches as “all play all” principles are retained. All groups conclude in November 2025.

Qualifying groups for the 2026 World Cup

Group A: Germany/Italy winner, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg

Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo

Group C: Portugal/Denmark loser, Greece, Scotland, Belarus

Group D: France/Croatia winner, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan

Group E: Spain/Netherlands winner, Türkiye, Georgia, Bulgaria

Group F: Portugal/Denmark winner, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Armenia

Group G: Spain/Netherlands loser, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta

Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino

Group I: Germany/Italy loser, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova

Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein

Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra

Group L: France/Croatia loser, Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar

🌍🏆 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 | Qualifying groups for 2026 World Cup. (@FootRankings) pic.twitter.com/LrtCouQvSG

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) December 13, 2024

In total 16 UEFA nations will secure their place in the  2026 World Cup, the 12 Group winners will automatically qualify for the competition, while four remaining berths are determined through play-offs consisting of the 12 group runners-up.

The 12 group runners will play in the play-off besides the four best-ranked teams of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League that failed to finish during their European qualifying group phase in first or second place.

World Cup 2026 European qualifiers: Key dates

Group stage draw

13 December 2024

Group stage match dates

March to November 2025

Play-off match dates

26 & 31 March 2026

Final tournament dates

11 June to 19 July 2026

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