England manager Thomas Tuchel has learned what awaits in his first World Cup qualifying campaign, with the Three Lions drawn against Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra.
Tuchel is due to take over in January, and has the task of leading England to World Cup glory in the United States, Canada and Mexico. First, though, he will need to make sure his team qualifies for the tournament.
England go into qualifying as one of the top-seeded teams thanks to their high world ranking. There are 12 groups in total – six with five teams which get underway in March, including England’s and six with four teams which don’t start until September.
All 12 group winners will progress directly to the World Cup, with the 12 runners-up taking part in a play-off round. Four teams will join those 12 the play-off round through their UEFA Nations League record, with the 16 teams getting narrowed down to four qualifiers.
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“I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team,” Tuchel said when his appointment was confirmed in October. “I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already.
“To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting. Working closely with Anthony as my assistant coach, we will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud.
“I want to thank the FA, in particular Mark [Bullingham] and John [McDermott], for their trust and I am looking forward to starting our journey together.”
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A handful of groups aren’t set in stone, with the winners of the Nations League quarter-finals needing to go into four-team groups. However, those teams have all learned who they will face if they make it through those matches – including a meeting with Northern Ireland for the winner of Germany vs Italy.
Wales have Belgium in their group for a second straight World Cup qualifying campaign, while Scotland will take on the losers of the Portugal vs Denmark Nations League play-off. The winner of that tie between Portugal and Denmark will go into a four-team group with the Republic of Ireland, Hungary and Armenia.
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England won immediate promotion back to League A in their most recent UEFA Nations League campaign, having suffered relegation in 2023. Caretaker boss Lee Carsley took charge of all six matches, recording five wins and one defeat so pip Greece to top spot.
Their most recent World Cup qualification campaign – for the 2022 edition in Qatar – went according to plan. Gareth Southgate was in the dugout at the time, and his team secured qualification without losing a single game.
While England and their fellow European nations are yet to begin their World Cup qualifying campaigns, it’s a different story elsewhere. In South America, the 10 eligible teams have already played 12 of their 18 qualifiers, though no one is secured of a World Cup spot just yet.
In the CONCACAF region, the three hosts have already qualified and two teams have already been eliminated. The remaining 30 got a first group stage underway in June, with 12 teams due to progress to the third round where they will compete for three guaranteed spots.
In Asia, a starting field of 46 teams has been whittled down to 18, with eight of those due to qualify directly. The African confederation has already begun its own group stage, from which nine group winners will progress directly to the World Cup.
The four remaining teams in Oceania are vying for one direct qualifying spot and one in the inter-confederation play-offs. Africa, Asia and South America will also have an entrant in the play-offs, while CONCACAF will have two.
UEFA World Cup qualifying draw in full:
Group A: Winner of Germany vs Italy, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo
Group C: Loser of Portugal vs Denmark, Greece, Scotland, Belarus
Group D: Winner of France vs Croatia, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan
Group E: Winner of Spain vs Netherlands, Turkiye, Georgia, Bulgaria
Group F: Winner of Portugal vs Denmark, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Armenia
Group G: Loser of Spain vs Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino
Group I: Loser of Germany vs Italy, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra
Group L: Loser of France vs Croatia, Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar
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