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World Cup European Qualifiers Draw: Times, How To Watch On TV, Stream OnlineUEFA
The European Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026 follow a structured competition format designed to determine which teams will advance to the tournament. The qualifiers are divided into several groups, each consisting of national teams from across Europe.
Teams play each other in a round-robin format, with each team playing home and away matches against the others in their group. Points are awarded based on match results, with three points for a win, one point for a draw, and none for a loss.
The top teams from each group automatically qualify for the World Cup, while the best runners-up may enter a playoff round to compete for the remaining spots. This format ensures a competitive and fair process, allowing the best teams to advance based on their performance throughout the qualifying matches.
Watch the World Cup European Qualifiers draw live stream on FuboTV (Free Trial)
What time does European Qualifiers start?The event will take place at 6:00 a.M. ET / 3:00 a.M on Friday, December 13, 2024, from UEFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
How can I watch European Qualifiers?The following channels will be broadcasting the game live in the US: FOX Sports, FS1, FS2
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Watch the World Cup European Qualifiers draw live stream on FuboTV (Free Trial)
The competition is set to unfold across 10 matchdays, systematically scheduled during five international breaks.
The upcoming international breaks are scheduled for March 21-25, June 6-10, September 4-9, October 9-14, and November 13-18.
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World Cup 2026 Qualifying: European Groups Set … Sort Of
England was placed in a group with Serbia as the draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Europe took place on Friday.
As it prepares to begin life under new coach Thomas Tuchel, England was also drawn alongside Albania, Latvia and Andorra in the five-team Group K.
England, who have qualified for every World Cup since missing the 1994 tournament in the United States, played Serbia in their opening game at Euro 2024, winning 1-0 thanks to a Jude Bellingham goal.
Matches will take place between March and November next year, with the group winners qualifying directly for the World Cup in North America.
The runners-up in each of the 12 qualifying groups will get a second chance via a series of play-offs, with Europe now contributing a total of 16 nations to the expanded 48-team competition.
The exact make-up of the groups is not yet completely clear as it depends on the outcome of the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals next March.
Those series will see reigning European champion Spain face the Netherlands, while Germany plays Italy, Portugal takes on Denmark and France meets Croatia.
The groups in which these teams end up depend on whether they win and progress to the Nations League semifinals next June, or are eliminated.
France, who have been to the last two World Cup finals, will be in a group with Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan should they reach the Nations League final four.
However, should they go out of the Nations League to Croatia in the last eight, they will go into World Cup qualifying Group L with the Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands and Gibraltar.
Reigning European champion Spain, who also won the last edition of the Nations League, will be in a group with Turkey, Georgia and Bulgaria should it defeat the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.
The loser of Spain's tie against the Dutch will be placed in Group G with Poland, Finland, Lithuania and Malta.
There are six groups of five teams who will begin qualifying in March, while the six groups of four teams will only start next September.
Scotland, which is bidding to qualify for a first World Cup since 1998, were drawn in Group C in which they will play Greece, Belarus and the loser of the Nations League quarterfinal between Portugal and Denmark.
Greece and Scotland are also due to play each other in a playoff next March to decide who is in the top tier of the next edition of the Nations League.
Wales was drawn in the same group as Belgium, as was already the case in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, when both teams made it to the finals in Qatar.
Those teams will also come up against North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and minnow Liechtenstein in Group J.
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European World Cup Qualifiers Groups Set But Match-ups Still Open
The FIFA World Cup 2026 trophy is on display ahead of the draw ceremony for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Christian Charisius/dpa
The groups for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for the European zone are set, but the final match-ups will only been known after the Nations League quarter-finals.
The six groups of four teams (A-F) and the six groups of five teams (G-L) were drawn by football governing body FIFA on Friday.
As 24 teams will still be competing in the Nations League in March 2025 - eight in the League A quarter-finals and 16 in the promotion/relegation play-offs in other leagues - significant changes were made to the seeding and draw procedures to accommodate all teams within the Nations League schedule.
The competition will feature staggered starting dates, with the four Nations League quarter-finals winners being drawn into four-team groups and starting the World Cup qualifiers in September 2025.
World Cup runners-up France will be in Group D with Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan if they defeat Croatia in the Nations League quarter-finals. In case of defeat, they will fall into Group L with Czech Republic, Montenegro and Gibraltar.
Euro 2024 champions Spain will have Turkey, Georgia and Bulgaria in Group E if they overcome the Netherlands in the Nations League. Otherwise, they will join five-team Group G with Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta.
Germany will be hoping to reach the Nations League final four for the first time and if they manage that, their World Cup qualifiers path will start in Group A with Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg.
The Germans face Italy in the Nations League quarter-finals and elimination at this stage will see the Euro 2024 hosts in Group I with Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova.
England, who have no Nations League commitments as they already clinched promotion to League A, have been drawn against Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra.
"Qualification is top priority. We have to be serious. We have to be determined, and we have to show what we're up for in this group of five," coach Thomas Tuchel, who will take charge from January 1, 2025, told BBC Radio 5.
The Nations League quarter-finals will take place on March 20-23, 2025. The first matchday in the European zone qualifiers for the World Cup is scheduled for March 21-22, 2025.
The 12 group winners go to the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The other four will be determined in play-offs among the 12 group runners-up and four teams from the Nations League.
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