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The journey to the FIFA World Cup 26™ has been laid out for Europe’s 54 competitors during the UEFA Preliminary Draw conducted in Zurich.
A historic total of 16 spots are open for UEFA teams at the groundbreaking 48-team tournament scheduled to take place in Canada, Mexico, and the USA.
Post the UEFA Nations League (UNL) quarter-finals in March, eight of the 12 groups will feature only one guaranteed Pot 1 team, as outlined in the draw regulations.
Thrilling matches are already on the radar, with England clashing with Serbia, Switzerland facing off against Sweden, and Belgium going head-to-head with Wales, among other exciting fixtures to anticipate.
FIFA World Cup 26™: Results from the UEFA Preliminary Draw
Group A
Winner Italy-Germany (UNL QF4) Slovakia Northern Ireland Luxembourg
Group B
Switzerland Sweden Slovenia Kosovo
Group C
Defeated team Denmark-Portugal (UNL QF3) Greece Scotland Belarus
Group D
Winner Croatia-France (UNL QF2) Ukraine Iceland Azerbaijan
Group E
Winner Netherlands-Spain (UNL QF1) Türkiye Georgia Bulgaria
Group F
Winner Denmark-Portugal (UNL QF3) Hungary Republic of Ireland Armenia
Group G
Defeated team Netherlands-Spain (UNL QF1) Poland Finland Lithuania Malta
Group H
Austria Romania Bosnia and Herzegovina Cyprus San Marino
Group I
Defeated team Italy-Germany (UNL QF4) Norway Israel Estonia Moldova
Group J
Belgium Wales North Macedonia Kazakhstan Liechtenstein
Group K
England Serbia Albania Latvia Andorra
Group L
Defeated team Croatia-France (UNL QF2) Czechia Montenegro Faroe Islands Gibraltar.
The UEFA qualification group stage is set to kick off in March 2025 and will conclude in November 2025. It will follow a familiar format, consisting of 12 groups made up of four or five teams, with group winners securing their places at the FIFA World Cup™.
The final four positions will be determined in March 2026 through a 16-team UEFA playoff, which includes the 12 group-stage runners-up and the four highest-ranked UEFA Nations League 2024-25 group winners who haven’t already qualified for the FIFA World Cup directly as group winners or entered the playoffs as runners-up.
Argentina currently holds the title of reigning champions after their thrilling victory against France in the final of Qatar 2022.
