England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have discovered their 2026 World Cup qualifying opponents following Friday’s draw in Zurich.
Home nations discover World Cup qualifying opponents
England, under new manager Thomas Tuchel, will face Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra.
Wales will meet familiar foes Belgium, plus North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein.
Scotland will play Greece, Belarus and the loser of the Portugal v Denmark Nations League quarter-final.
Northern Ireland are up against Slovakia, Luxembourg and the winner of the Germany v Italy Nations League game.
The games will be played across five international breaks between March and November 2025.
The top team from each of the 12 groups qualifies automatically for the World Cup, which will be held in the US, Canada and Mexico – with the second-placed teams going into the play-offs. A total of 16 European teams will qualify.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have been drawn in four-team groups and will not start their games until September.
The Scots face Greece, coincidentally in their World Cup qualifying group, in a two-legged Nations League promotion-relegation play-off in March.
The draw in full
Some of the groups will not be finalised until after the Nations League quarter-finals in March
Group A: Germany/Italy (winner), Slovakia, NORTHERN IRELAND, Luxembourg.
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo.
Group C: Portugal/Denmark (loser), Greece, SCOTLAND, Belarus.
Group D: France/Croatia (winner), Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan.
Group E: Spain/Netherlands (winner), Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria.
Group F: Portugal/Denmark (winner), Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Armenia.
Group G: Spain/Netherlands (loser), Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta.
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino.
Group I: Germany/Italy (loser), Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova.
Group J: Belgium, WALES, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein.
Group K: ENGLAND, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra.
Group L: France/Croatia (loser), Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar.
