European (UEFA) 2026 World Cup qualifying draw, schedule, dates

The last and biggest — certainly the most-celebrated — confederation to begin qualifying for the 2026 World Cup is UEFA, and Europe’s nations have learned their groups for qualification.

There are some tricky groups, perhaps none more than Group B, where Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, and Kosovo will tangle home-and-away over eight months.

[ MORE: How will 48-team 2026 World Cup work? ]

England’s main rivals for an automatic spot are Serbia, and the sides have a limited history. England beat Serbia 1-0 in the EURO 2024 group stage on an early Jude Bellingham goal. Before that? Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole scored in a 2003 friendly in Leicester, a 2-1 win for the the Three Lions under the late Sven-Göran Eriksson.

Norway’s path to a first World Cup for Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard, and friends will have to include a pair of scraps with either Germany or Italy, as well as Israel, Estonia, and Moldova.

Eight groups await their top teams, as UEFA Nations League quarterfinal winners and losers will move into designated spots. Those ties are coming March 20-23, with Netherlands meeting Spain, Croatia tangling with France, Denmark scrapping with Portugal, and the aforementioned Italy vs Germany tie.

European (UEFA) 2026 World Cup qualification format

• First round (March 21-November 18, 2025): Twelve groups of 4-5 nations play round-robin, home-and-away. Group winners qualify for 2026 World Cup. Runners-up reach one of four playoff pahts
• Second round (March 26-31, 2025): Twelve group runners-up plus the four top remaining UEFA Nations League group winners are drawn into four semifinal and final paths. Four path winners qualify for 2026 World Cup.

European (UEFA) World Cup qualification schedule — Dates

First round group stage

Groups A-F: March 21 – November 18, 2025
Groups G-L: September 4 – November 18, 2025

Second round – Semifinals

March 26

Second round – Finals

March 31

African (CAF) 2026 World Cup qualification — Draw, groups

Group A

1. Germany vs Italy winner
2. Slovakia
3. Northern Ireland
4. Luxembourg

Group B

1. Switzerland
2. Sweden
3. Slovenia
4. Kosovo

Group C

1. Portugal vs Denmark loser
2. Greece
3. Scotland
4. Belarus

Group D

1. France vs Croatia winner
2. Ukraine
3. Iceland
4. Azerbaijan

Group E

1. Spain vs Netherlands winner
2. Turkiye
3. Georgia
4. Bulgaria

Group F

1. Portugal vs Denmark winner
2. Hungary
3. Republic of Ireland
4. Armenia

Group G

1. Spain vs Netherlands loser
2. Poland
3. Finland
4. Lithuania
5. Malta

Group H

1. Austria
2. Romania
3. Bosnia and Herzegovina
4. Cyprus
5. San Marino

Group I

1. Germany vs Italy loser
2. Norway
3. Israel
4. Estonia
5. Moldova

Group J

1. Belgium
2. Wales
3. North Macedonia
4. Kazakhstan
5. Liechtenstein

Group K

1. England
2. Serbia
3. Albania
4. Latvia
5. Andorra

Group L

1. France vs Croatia loser
2. Czechia
3. Montenegro
4. Faroe Islands
5. Gibraltar