FIFA World Cup 26 European Qualifiers: Schedule, Teams, Groups

The FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers are now in full swing as national teams across Europe compete for a spot in the biggest football tournament. With matches already underway since March 2025, teams are fighting hard to secure one of the 16 European places for the expanded 48-team World Cup to be hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

I’ve gathered all the essential information about the qualification process, including fixtures, teams, groups, and key dates to keep you updated on this exciting journey to the 2026 World Cup.

How European Qualification Works for World Cup 2026

The European qualification format for the 2026 World Cup features a new structure announced by UEFA in January 2023. A total of 54 European nations are competing (with Russia remaining suspended due to the invasion of Ukraine). These teams are divided into 12 groups labeled A through L, with each group containing either four or five teams.

Teams play traditional home-and-away matches in a round-robin format, starting from March 2025 and continuing until November 2025. The qualification process is straightforward – the 12 group winners qualify directly for the World Cup finals, securing their tickets to North America.

But what about the other spots? UEFA has been allocated 16 total berths for the 2026 World Cup, which means four additional places need to be determined. This is where the play-offs come in. The 12 group runners-up will advance to a play-off stage, which will take place in March 2026.

Qualification Timeline

The European Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup follow this schedule:

• Group stage matches: March 21-25, June 6-10, September 4-9, October 9-14, and November 13-18, 2025
• Play-off matches: March 26-31, 2026
• Final tournament: June 11 to July 19, 2026

Groups with five teams (Groups G-L) began their campaigns in March 2025, with the first matchdays already completed. Groups with four teams (Groups A-F) will start their qualification journey in September 2025.

European Qualifier Groups

The 12 qualification groups were drawn in Zurich on December 13, 2024, with some groups finalized after the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals in March 2025. Here’s a breakdown of all groups:

Group A

This four-team group features Germany, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, and Luxembourg. Germany secured their place in this group after beating Italy in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals. As one of the top nations in international football, Germany is favored to win this group, but Slovakia will provide strong competition for the second spot.

Group B

Group B consists of Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, and Kosovo. Switzerland enters as the favorite, but Sweden has a strong football tradition and will be fighting hard for qualification.

Group C

Scotland faces a challenging path in Group C, alongside Denmark, Greece, and Belarus. This group promises exciting matches, especially considering Greece defeated Scotland in their Nations League relegation play-off.

Group D

France, the 2018 World Cup champions, leads Group D which also includes Ukraine, Iceland, and Azerbaijan. France is expected to dominate this group, having already secured a play-off spot based on their Nations League ranking.

Group E

Spain, who won the 2024 European Championship, headlines Group E with Türkiye, Georgia, and Bulgaria. Like France, Spain has already secured at least a play-off spot based on their Nations League performance.

Group F

Group F features Portugal alongside Hungary, Republic of Ireland, and Armenia. Portugal, led by their star players, will be looking to secure direct qualification as group winners.

Group G

This five-team group includes Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, and Malta. The Dutch team is favored to top this group, with Poland likely to challenge for the runner-up position.

Group H

Austria leads Group H, which also includes Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, and San Marino. This diverse group features teams of varying strengths, with San Marino looking to improve upon their past performances.

Group I

Italy joins Norway, Israel, Estonia, and Moldova in Group I. After missing the 2022 World Cup, Italy will be determined to qualify, but Erling Haaland’s Norway will present a serious challenge.

Group J

Belgium heads Group J with Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein. Belgium’s “golden generation” will aim to secure easy qualification from this group.

Group K

England, under new manager Thomas Tuchel, faces Serbia, Albania, Latvia, and Andorra in Group K. This group contains a potentially charged matchup between Serbia and Albania due to political tensions in the Balkans.

Group L

The final group features Croatia, Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, and Gibraltar. Croatia will be looking to build on their recent World Cup successes by topping this group.

European Qualifiers Schedule

Matchday 1 (21-22 March)

Matchday 2 (24-25 March)

Matchday 3 (6-7 June)

Matchday 4 (9-10 June)

Matchday 5 (4-6 September)

Matchday 6 (7-9 September)

Matchday 7 (9-11 October)

Matchday 8 (12-14 October)

Matchday 9 (13-15 November)

Matchday 9 (16-18 November)

Play-Off Format Explained

The road to the World Cup doesn’t end with the group stage. For teams that finish second in their groups, there’s still hope through the play-offs. The play-off system for the 2026 World Cup involves 16 teams:

1. The 12 runners-up from the qualification groups.
2. Four best-ranked group winners from the UEFA Nations League who did not finish in the top two of their World Cup qualifying group.

These 16 teams will be divided into four paths, each with four teams. Each path features single-leg semi-finals and finals, with the four path winners qualifying for the World Cup finals.

The seeding for these play-offs is determined by performance, with the best four runners-up in Pot 1, the next four in Pot 2, and so on.

Teams to Watch

Several European teams are expected to make a strong showing in the qualifiers:

England

Under new manager Thomas Tuchel (who took charge on January 1, 2025), England is looking to build on their Euro 2024 final appearance. They’ve started strongly with convincing wins against Albania (2-0) and Latvia (3-0) in Group K.

Germany

The four-time World Cup champions secured their place in Group A after beating Italy in the Nations League quarter-finals. With their rich football history and strong squad, they’re expected to qualify easily.

France

The 2018 World Cup winners are firm favorites in Group D. Their Nations League ranking has already assured them at least a play-off spot, but they’ll be aiming for direct qualification as group winners.

Spain

Fresh from their Euro 2024 triumph, Spain leads Group E and will be looking to maintain their winning momentum into the World Cup qualifiers.

Norway

Norway, led by star striker Erling Haaland, has made a perfect start to their campaign in Group I with two wins from two games, including an impressive 5-0 victory over Moldova. They could be one of the dark horses of the qualifiers.

FAQs

1. How many European teams will qualify for the 2026 World Cup?

A total of 16 UEFA nations will qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is an increase from the 13 spots allocated for the 2022 tournament.

2. How does the European qualification process work?

Teams are divided into 12 groups of either four or five teams, playing home-and-away matches. The 12 group winners qualify directly for the World Cup, while the 12 runners-up advance to play-offs along with four Nations League teams to determine the final four spots.

3. When did the European qualifiers begin?

The qualifiers began in March 2025 for groups with five teams (Groups G-L), while groups with four teams (Groups A-F) will start in September 2025.

4. When will the World Cup 2026 take place?

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across venues in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

5. Why is Russia not participating in the qualifiers?

Russia remains suspended from UEFA competitions due to the invasion of Ukraine, as confirmed in a circular distributed by UEFA in November 2024.

6. What happens if a team finishes second in their qualification group?

Teams that finish second in their groups advance to the play-offs, where they’ll compete for the remaining four World Cup spots.

7. How are the play-offs structured?

The play-offs involve 16 teams (12 group runners-up plus four best Nations League group winners) divided into four paths. Each path has single-leg semi-finals and finals, with the winners qualifying for the World Cup.

8. Which teams are already assured of at least a play-off spot?

Teams like Germany, France, Spain, and Portugal are assured of at least a play-off spot based on their Nations League ranking, though they may still qualify directly as group winners.

9. Are there any political considerations in the group draw?

Yes, certain teams were kept apart for political reasons. Ukraine and Belarus could not be drawn into the same group, nor could Gibraltar and Spain. Kosovo was kept apart from Serbia and Bosnia, though no such restrictions were placed on Serbia and Albania.

10. How many teams will participate in the 2026 World Cup?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature an expanded format with 48 teams, up from the 32-team format used in previous tournaments.