The European zone will run from March 2025 to March 2026.
The draw for the group stage of the European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup took place in Zurich on Friday, December 13.
54 teams took part in it, divided into 12 groups based on 4 or 5 teams. They will play one match at home and one away in a traditional group system.
The Ukrainian national team was seeded from the second basket during the 2026 World Cup qualifying draw and also found out their opponents.
It should be noted that the Russian national team was not allowed to participate in the 2026 World Cup qualifying draw. The team of the aggressor country continues to be suspended from international competitions due to the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.
Results of the 2026 World Cup European qualifying draw
Group A: Winner Italy vs. Germany, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo.
Group C: Loser Denmark vs. Portugal, Greece, Scotland, Belarus
Group D: Winner Croatia vs. France, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan
Group E: Winner Netherlands vs. Spain, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria
Group F: Winner Denmark vs. Portugal, Hungary, Ireland, Armenia
Group G: Loser Netherlands vs. Spain, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino.
Group I: Loser Italy v Germany, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra
Group L: Loser Croatia v France, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar
Sixteen European teams will qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The 12 group winners will qualify directly for the final stage of the World Cup. Another four spots in the world championship will be awarded in the playoffs, where the 12 runners-up of the World Cup qualifying groups will compete with the four best group winners of the 2024/25 Nations League who finish lower than second in the group stage of the qualification.
The group stage of the European qualification for the 2026 World Cup will last from March to November 2025. The playoff matches will be held in March 2026, they will consist of single-match semi-finals and finals.
The 2026 World Cup will be held in three countries at once – the USA, Canada and Mexico. The matches of the 23rd World Cup in the history of the World Cup will be played in 16 cities. The opening match of the tournament is scheduled for June 11, 2026 in Mexico City, and the final will be held in New York on July 19.
This World Cup will be the first in which 48 teams will play in the final part. 12 groups of four teams will be formed. The top 2 in each quartet and the eight best third-place winners will advance to the 1/16 finals.
Recall that from 1998 to 2022, the World Cup used a 32-team format.