As they get ready to start life under new coach Thomas Tuchel, England was drawn with Albania, Latvia, and Andorra in the five-team Group K for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Europe.
England, who have qualified for every World Cup since missing the 1994 tournament in the United States, drew with Serbia in their opening match at Euro 2024, winning 1-0 thanks to a goal from Jude Bellingham.
Matches will take place between March and November of next year, with the group winners earning direct entry to the World Cup in North America.
The runners-up in each of the 12 qualifying groups will get another chance in a series of play-offs. Currently, 16 nations from Europe are competing against 48 other nations.
The exact makeup of the groups is yet uncertain because it is contingent on the outcome of the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals in March.
In those games, Spain, the reigning European champions, will play the Netherlands. Germany will then play Italy, Portugal will play Denmark, and France will play Croatia.
Whether these teams make it to the June Nations League semi-finals or are ousted will decide their final group standings.
France, who have advanced to the last two World Cup finals, will be in a group with Ukraine, Iceland, and Azerbaijan if they make it to the Nations League final four. If they lose to Croatia in the last eight, though, they will be in a group with the Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, and Gibraltar to qualify for the World Cup.
Spain, the reigning European champions and the winner of the last Nations League, will be in a group with Georgia, Bulgaria, and Turkey if they defeat the Netherlands in their quarterfinal match. The loser of Spain’s match against the Dutch will be in Group G with Poland, Finland, Lithuania, and Malta.
Scotland, attempting to qualify for their first World Cup since 1998, was drawn in Group C, which includes Greece, Belarus, and the winner of the Nations League quarterfinal between Portugal and Denmark.
Greece and Scotland will also play each other in a play-off next March to determine who will be in the top tier of the next edition of the Nations League. Wales was drawn in the same group as Belgium, as was already the case when both teams qualified for the 2022 World Cup. Six groups of five teams will begin qualifying in March, while the six groups of four teams won’t get underway until September of next year.
In Group J, those teams will also face Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, and Minnows Liechtenstein.
Draw for the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, made in Zurich on Friday:
Group A: Winner of Germany vs. Italy Nations League quarter-final, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo
Group C: Loser of Portugal vs. Denmark Nations League quarter-final, Greece, Scotland, Belarus
Group D: Winner of France vs. Croatia Nations League quarter-final, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan
Group E: Winner of Spain vs. Netherlands Nations League quarter-final, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria
Group F: Winner of Portugal vs. Denmark Nations League quarter-final, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Armenia
Group G: Loser of Spain vs. Netherlands Nations League quarter-final, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino
Group I: Loser of Germany vs. Italy Nations League quarter-final, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra
Group L: Loser of France vs. Croatia Nations League quarter-final, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar
