FIFA is implementing a more complex system for the draw of the European World Cup qualifying groups, where the UEFA Nations League will play a significant role in determining seedings. Instead of solely relying on world rankings as was done for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the upcoming draw in December will involve using the top eight Nations League quarterfinalists and the top four ranked teams that do not reach the quarterfinals as the top-seeded teams for the 12 groups.
Due to the ongoing UEFA Nations League program, placeholder names will be used for the top-seeded teams in each group during the December draw. Teams will have to wait until March 23 to find out their specific top-seeded opponents once the quarterfinals of the Nations League are concluded. This new format aims to give lower-ranked teams like Hungary, Israel, Scotland, and Bosnia-Herzegovina an opportunity to improve their standing through a successful Nations League campaign, while ensuring top-ranked European teams such as France, Spain, England, and Belgium secure a direct path to a top seed.
Having a top seeding will enable teams to potentially avoid facing the toughest opponents, with only the top team in each of the 12 groups guaranteed a spot in the 2026 World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Additionally, four more teams will qualify through playoffs in March 2026. The World Cup qualifying draw, set to be the most intricate ever in Europe, is expected to be confirmed by FIFA this week.
European qualifying for the expanded 48-team men’s World Cup will see adjustments due to 16 UEFA members qualifying for the tournament, an increase from the 13 that participated in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This change has led to the formation of 12 qualifying groups, with an even split between groups of five and four teams, as opposed to the previous six-team format. The smaller groups will kick off in September next year.
Furthermore, the 2025 national team calendar will accommodate knockout rounds and playoffs in the UEFA Nations League competition following the conclusion of games on November 19. Three days later, UEFA will draw the quarterfinal pairings for the top tier, with the winners advancing to a Final Four tournament in June. Teams reaching the Final Four will begin playing World Cup qualifying games in September next year, forming four-team qualifying groups assigned by FIFA.
