The start of Thomas Tuchel’s England reign is now upon us – here is everything you need to know about the FIFA World Cup European qualifying draw
Thomas Tuchel’s reign as England manager will soon begin – but the German still does not know who he will face.
The former Chelsea boss will soon find out, as the 2026 World Cup European qualifying draw, which decides the nations the Three Lions will face in the qualifying groups, is upon us. Tuchel, 51, will find out which countries he must navigate past to ensure his side will be battling it out amongst the world’s best in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
With Tuchel’s first deal as England boss set to expire in 2026, it seems that he has one opportunity to win a major international title with the Three Lions. The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest one in the competition’s history to date, with 48 nations competing instead of the usual 32.
Ahead of Friday’s draw, Mirror Football takes you through everything you need to know.
What time is the draw and how to watch it?
The draw is taking place in Zurich and starts at 11am UK time on Friday. It will be streamed live on fifa.com.
How will qualifying work?
The 54 eligible UEFA nations will be split into six groups of four teams, and six groups of five teams. Russia remain suspended. Sixteen European countries in total will qualify for the first 48-team finals in 2026 – the 12 qualifying group winners automatically, and then four further teams via play-offs to be played in March 2026.
Sixteen countries will go into those play-offs – the 12 qualifying group runners-up plus the four best-ranked group winners from the Nations League who did not either win their group or finish runner-up in main qualifying. These 16 teams will be drawn into four-team ‘paths’ with the winner of each securing a ticket to the tournament.
How will the draw unfold?
The qualification draw is complicated by the final stages of the Nations League. The four teams in Pot One who reach June’s Nations League finals will each need to be in a four-team World Cup qualifying group, because they cannot start playing regular qualifiers until September.
Teams involved in the two-leg Nations League promotion and relegation play-offs will also be unable to play World Cup qualifiers in March, but could still be drawn in a five-team group and play their eight qualifiers in the June, September, October and November international breaks.
Who can England face?
Due to their last few performances in the major competitions, Tuchel’s team have the advantage of being in pot one. As a top seed England will avoid the likes of Spain, France, Germany, Italy and many more.
Nevertheless, the Three Lions could still be placed into a dangerous group, as Greece, Ukraine, Norway, Sweden, Turkey and Wales are in pot two. There is also the possibility of a few Great British derbies, as Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland are in pot three.
Scotland and Republic of Ireland are both in the Nations League play-offs. Scotland will need to beat Greece over two legs to remain in Nations League A, while Ireland must see of Bulgaria to maintain their position in Nations League B.
The pots in full are below:
- Pot One: Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria
- Pot Two: Ukraine, Sweden, Turkey, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Norway
- Pot Three: Scotland, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Israel
- Pot Four: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Kosovo, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Lithuania
- Pot Five: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, San Marino
Are there any restrictions
Yes, there are many situations where certain countries cannot face each other. Due to political reasons, Ukraine and Belarus, and Gibraltar and Spain, cannot be paired in the same group. Moreover, Kosovo also has to be separated from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Extreme weather conditions also play a part in which countries can be together. Only two of Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, the Faroe Islands and Iceland, can be placed in the same group, while the latter two are not allowed to be in the same group, due to being deemed the two nations most at risk of adverse weather.
Geographical limits are also imposed on Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Iceland, to ensure the three countries are not having to do too many trips to the other side of Europe.
When will the games be played?
The games will be held over 10 different matchdays over the course of five international breaks. They will be from March 21-25, June 6-10, September 4-9, October 9-14 and November 13-18.
However, that does not mean England will be featuring on all those dates, as there is a maximum of eight games. While some teams will start in March, others will begin in June, while four teams will not feature until September.
The play-offs will be March 26-31 2026.
Join our new WhatsApp community __and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our _Privacy Notice.
