UEFA qualifying groups for FIFA 2026 World Cup: England meet Serbia while Belgium land Wales

The FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifying groups for the UEFA zone teams based in Europe are now set with the UEFA Nations League still likely to determine the final makeup of those groups.

Germany, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, France, Croatia, Spain and the Nertherlands all have two potential pathways open to them with most looking straightforward enough with the possible exception of the loser between the Portuguese and the Danes.

Group C would feature one of those two along with Greece, Scotland and Belarus while on paper, at least, the Germans and the Italians as well as the French and the Croatians should be satisfied.

The same might not be true of the Spanish and the Dutch who might be a little more wary of Group E which already houses Turkiye, Georgia and Bulgaria although the alternative is Group G with Poland, Finland, Lithuania and Malta.

Of the complete groups, England landed in Group K owing to the Three Lions’ early Nations League exit with Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra unlikely to worry Thomas Tuchel too much. 

Belgium are also set having dropped out of the UNL with Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein awaiting them in Group J with Group B also complete with Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia and Kosovo as well as Group H with Austria, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus and San Marino.

Here are the full draw details.

UEFA zone WCQ in full

*Subject to UEFA Nations League quarterfinals: Spain vs. Netherlands, France vs. Croatia, Portugal vs. Denmark and Germany vs. Italy.

Group A: Germany vs. Italy winner, Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg.
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia and Kosovo.
Group C: Portugal vs. Denmark loser, Greece, Scotland and Belarus.
Group D: France vs. Croatia winner, Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan.
Group E: Spain vs. Netherlands winner, Turkiye, Georgia and Bulgaria.
Group F: Portugal vs. Denmark winner, Hungary, Republic of Ireland and Armenia.
Group G: Spain vs. Netherlands loser, Poland, Finland, Lithuania and Malta.
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus and San Marino.
Group I: Germany vs. Italy loser, Norway, Israel, Estonia and Moldova.
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein.
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra.
Group L: France vs. Croatia loser, Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands and Gibraltar.