France head coach Didier Deschamps talks to the media at the draw [Martin Meissner/AP]
The 2026 World Cup will be played in the US, Canada, and Mexico, kicking off on June 11 with the final on July 19, and will be the first to include 48 teams, expanded from 32.
Europe will have 16 places at the tournament, up from 13 at the last World Cup and the 12 group winners qualify automatically.
The 12 group runners-up go into the playoffs along with the four best-ranked group winners of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League that did not finish in first or second place in the European Qualifiers group stage.
Group A
Winner Nations League quarterfinal Germany/Italy, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg
Group B
Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo
Group C
Loser Nations League quarterfinal Portugal/Denmark, Greece, Scotland, Belarus
Group D
Winner Nations League quarterfinal France/Croatia, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan
Group E
Winner Nations League quarterfinal Spain/Netherlands, Turkiye, Georgia, Bulgaria
Group F
Winner Nations League quarterfinal Portugal/Denmark, Hungary, Ireland, Armenia
Group G
Loser Nations League quarterfinal Spain/Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta
Group H
Austria, Romania, Bosnia, Cyprus, San Marino
Group I
Loser Nations League quarterfinal Germany/Italy, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova
Group J
Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein
Group K
England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra
Group L
Loser Nations League quarterfinal France/Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar
Qualifying matches start in March next year and will be played through until November, and teams will play each other home and away.
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Publish date : 2024-12-14 05:10:00
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