UEFA announces the World Cup 2026 Qualifying group stage: 54 nations will fight for UEFA's 16 spots

Just two days after confirming the dates for FIFA Men's World Cup 2030 and 2034 (that were already known), UEFA has announced the groups for the next Preliminary Draw of the next World Cup, in 2026, for the European nations.

A total number of 48 teams will take part in 2026 World Cup -16 more from the usual 32-. Of those, 16 nations will be from European nations (UEFA).

In order to decide which 16 European teams qualify, UEFA has made 12 groups, each one comprised of 4 or 5 nations. The 12 winners of each group will get direct qualification to the World Cup in summer 2026

The 2026 World Cup, which will be held again in the usual summer dates in the USA, Canada and Mexico -despite concerns of extreme heat in some of the venues-, will have its qualifying group stage between March 2025 and November 2025.

The four remaining places of the World Cup will be decided in a play-off between the 12 runners-up of the qualifying stage, as well as the 4 best ranked UEFA Nations League 2024-25 winners that hadn't qualified yet. In total, 16 teams will compete for four places in March 2026.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying group stage for UEFA teams

These are the groups for the qualifying games to be played between March and November 2025. Bear in mind the some spots will be decided according to the winners of UEFA Nations League (UNL) quarter-final games to be played in March -which, aside from that, is a different competition-.

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

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