ZURICH – The seedings for the group draws of the 2026 World Cup qualifying rounds in Europe were established on Tuesday following the conclusion of the Nations League matches, with Slovakia and the Czech Republic achieving a higher ranking status.
FIFA is set to conduct the draw in Zurich on December 13, which will determine the 12 qualifying groups for European teams. The top-performing team from each of these groups, a total of 12, will secure a direct berth to the World Cup, which is to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Additionally, four more spots will be filled through playoff matches.
The identities of the 12 top-seeded nations were finalized before the recent matches, with these teams consisting of the eight quarterfinalists from the Nations League along with the highest-ranked teams according to FIFA rankings, which notably includes England.
Victories by Slovakia over Estonia and the Czech Republic against Georgia confirmed their positions as part of the second-seeded teams, which are made up of the following 12 countries based on FIFA rankings.
As a result of these outcomes, Scotland dropped to the third pot, putting them at risk of being placed in a more competitive group as they aim to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
The European contingent for the World Cup comprises 16 spots out of the first total of 48 teams, with the four remaining positions determined through knockout playoff brackets scheduled for March 2026.
The teams competing in the playoffs will include the 12 runners-up from the qualifying groups, in addition to four teams that excelled in their Nations League groups this week, which may feature Northern Ireland, Moldova, and San Marino.
The draw set for next month will be notably intricate, as the eight quarterfinalists from the Nations League will serve as placeholders. Their exact placements will be finalized following the quarterfinal matches taking place on March 20 and 23.
The 54-team draw will categorize teams into six groups of four and six groups of five, where the larger groups could initiate play either in March or June. It is also required that slots in the four-team qualifying groups be reserved for the four teams that make it to the Nations League Final Four in June; thus, matches for these World Cup groups will not commence until September.
It’s important to note that Russia, having the lowest UEFA membership rank at 55, has been barred from international soccer due to its military actions in Ukraine.
World Cup qualifying groups draw seedings are as follows:
Pot 1: Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria.
Pot 2: Ukraine, Turkey, Sweden, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Norway.
Pot 3: Scotland, Slovenia, Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Israel.
Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Belarus, Kosovo, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faeroe Islands, Latvia, Lithuania.
Pot 5: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, San Marino.