Europe Qualification

 

The Europe Qualification will consist of two stages. 16 teams will qualify directly to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

 

Round 1 - The teams will be drawn into 12 groups of 4/5 teams. The 12 group winners will qualify directly to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 12 group winners will qualify to Round 2. Matches will be played between March 2025 - November 2025.

 

Round 2 - The format for Round 2 is yet to be announced. 4 teams will qualify directly to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Feels like only a little while ago when 16 teams was the number in the Euros - now that's the number in the World Cup!

Hoping for World Cup debuts for countries like Albania and Armenia as well as a return by Iceland (long shot) and long-awaited returns by Scotland, Israel, and Hungary.

The draw was made today.

 

Group A

Germany/Italy (winner)

Slovakia

Northern Ireland

Luxembourg

 

Group B

Switzerland

Sweden

Slovenia

Kosovo

 

Group C

Portugal/Denmark (loser)

Greece

Scotland

Belarus

 

Group D

France/Croatia (winner)

Ukraine

Iceland

Azerbaijan

 

Group E

Spain/Netherlands (winner)

Turkey

Georgia

Bulgaria

 

Group F

Portugal/Denmark (winner)

Hungary

Republic of Ireland

Armenia

 

Group G

Spain/Netherlands (loser)

Poland

Finland

Lithuania

Malta

 

Group H

Austria

Romania

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Cypyrus

San Marino

 

Group I

Germany/Italy (loser)

Norway

Israel

Estonia

Moldova

 

Group J

Belgium

Wales

North Macdeonia

Kazakhstan

Liechtenstein

 

Group K

England

Serbia

Albania

Latvia

Andorra

 

Group L

France/Croatia (loser)

Czech Republic

Montenegro

Faroe Islands

Gibraltar

 

~

 

I still hate this format and wished they just scrapped the extra Nations League games and done 10 groups with the 10 winners qualifying automatically and the 10 2nd placed teams (+ 2 from the Nations League) going into the play-offs. Groups of 4 just feels wrong.

Why is there groups of 4 again???

Why is there groups of 4 again???

 

It’s because they’ve expanded the Nations League format so there’s still lots of teams playing in promotion/relegation play-offs in March and 8 teams have qualified for the finals which now take place in March and June instead of just being June.

So do the winners of the NL qualify for the World cup?

Last Three Meetings between England and Albania:

12/11/2021- England 5-0 Albania (World Cup Qualifying)

28/03/2021- Albania 0-2 England (World Cup Qualifying)

05/09/2001- England 2-0 Albania (World Cup Qualifying)

Easy peasy win for England tonight...

Matchday 1 - Friday

Group G

Malta 0-1 Finland

Poland 1-0 Lithuania

Group H

Cyprus 2-0 San Marino

Romania 0-1 Bosnia & Herzegovina

Group K

Andorra 0-1 Latvia

England 2-0 Albania

Matchday 1 - Saturday

Group I

Moldova 0-5 Norway

Israel 2-1 Estonia

Group J

Liechtenstein 0-3 North Macedonia

Wales 3-1 Kazakhstan

Group L

Montenegro 3-1 Gibraltar

Czech Republic 2-1 Faroe Islands

Matchday 1 - Tables

Group A

1. Germany/Italy 0/6 (0) 0

2. Slovakia 0/6 (0) 0

3. Northern Ireland 0/6 (0) 0

4. Luxembourg 0/6 (0) 0

Group B

1. Switzerland 0/6 (0) 0

2. Sweden 0/6 (0) 0

3. Slovenia 0/6 (0) 0

4. Kosovo 0/6 (0) 0

Group C

1. Portugal/Denmark 0/6 (0) 0

2. Greece 0/6 (0) 0

3. Scotland 0/6 (0) 0

4. Belarus 0/6 (0) 0

Group D

1. France/Croatia 0/6 (0) 0

2. Ukraine 0/6 (0) 0

3. Iceland 0/6 (0) 0

4. Azerbaijan 0/6 (0) 0

Group E

1. Spain/Netherlands 0/6 (0) 0

2. Turkey 0/6 (0) 0

3. Georgia 0/6 (0) 0

4. Bulgaria 0/6 (0) 0

Group F

1. Portugal/Denmark 0/6 (0) 0

2. Hungary 0/6 (0) 0

3. Republic of Ireland 0/6 (0) 0

4. Armenia 0/6 (0) 0

Group G

1. Finland 1/8 (+1) 3

2. Poland 1/8 (+1) 3

3. Spain/Netherlands 0/8 (0) 0

4. Lithuania 1/8 (-1) 0

5. Malta 1/8 (-1) 0

Group H

1. Cyprus 1/8 (+2) 3

2. Bosnia & Herzegovina 1/8 (+1) 3

3. Austria 0/8 (0) 0

4. Romania 1/8 (-1) 0

5. San Marino 1/8 (-2) 0

Group I

1. Norway 1/8 (+5) 3

2. Israel 1/8 (+1) 3

3. Germany/Italy 0/8 (0) 0

4. Estonia 1/8 (-1) 0

5. Moldova 1/8 (-5) 0

Group J

1. North Macedonia 1/8 (+3) 3

2. Wales 1/8 (+2) 3

3. Belgium 0/8 (0) 0

4. Kazakhstan 1/8 (-2) 0

5. Liechtenstein 1/8 (-3) 0

Group K

1. England 1/8 (+2) 3

2. Latvia 1/8 (+1) 3

3. Serbia 0/8 (0) 0

4. Andorra 1/8 (-1) 0

5. Albania 1/8 (-2) 0

Group L

1. Montenegro 1/8 (+2) 3

2. Czech Republic 1/8 (+1) 3

3. France/Croatia 0/8 (0) 0

4. Faroe Islands 1/8 (-1) 0

5. Gibraltar 1/8 (-2) 0

After Matchday 1

Qualification:

Croatia/France

Cyprus

Denmark

England

Finland

Germany/Italy

Montenegro

North Macedonia

Norway

Portugal

Spain/Netherlands

Switzerland

Play-Offs:

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Czech Republic

Greece

Hungary

Israel

Latvia

Moldova

Northern Ireland

Poland

Romania

San Marino

Slovakia

Sweden

Turkey

Ukraine

Wales

Most teams haven't played so this is mostly useless but still fun to have a very early look. San Marino have a pretty real chance for a play-off place thanks to them winning their Nations League group!

Matchday 2 - Monday

Group G

Lithuania 2-2 Finland

Poland 2-0 Malta

Group H

Bosnia & Herzegovina 2-1 Cyprus

San Marino 1-5 Romania

Group K

Albania 3-0 Andorra

England 3-0 Latvia

On 21/03/2025 at 19:06, CRAZY CHRIS said:

Easy peasy win for England tonight...

x2

Matchday 2 - Tuesday

Group I

Moldova 2-3 Estonia

Israel 2-4 Norway

Group J

Liechtenstein 0-2 Kazakhstan

North Macedonia 1-1 Wales

Group L

Gibraltar 0-4 Czech Republic

Montenegro 1-0 Faroe Islands

Matchday 2 - Tables

Group A

1. Germany 0/6 (0) 0

2. Slovakia 0/6 (0) 0

3. Northern Ireland 0/6 (0) 0

4. Luxembourg 0/6 (0) 0

Group B

1. Switzerland 0/6 (0) 0

2. Sweden 0/6 (0) 0

3. Slovenia 0/6 (0) 0

4. Kosovo 0/6 (0) 0

Group C

1. Denmark 0/6 (0) 0

2. Greece 0/6 (0) 0

3. Scotland 0/6 (0) 0

4. Belarus 0/6 (0) 0

Group D

1. France 0/6 (0) 0

2. Ukraine 0/6 (0) 0

3. Iceland 0/6 (0) 0

4. Azerbaijan 0/6 (0) 0

Group E

1. Spain 0/6 (0) 0

2. Turkey 0/6 (0) 0

3. Georgia 0/6 (0) 0

4. Bulgaria 0/6 (0) 0

Group F

1. Portugal 0/6 (0) 0

2. Hungary 0/6 (0) 0

3. Republic of Ireland 0/6 (0) 0

4. Armenia 0/6 (0) 0

Group G

1. Poland 2/8 (+3) 6

2. Finland 2/8 (+1) 4

3. Lithuania 2/8 (-1) 1

4. Netherlands 0/8 (0) 0

5. Malta 2/8 (-3) 0

Group H

1. Bosnia & Herzegovina 2/8 (+2) 6

2. Romania 2/8 (+3) 3

3. Cyprus 2/8 (+1) 3

4. Austria 0/8 (0) 0

5. San Marino 2/8 (-6) 0

Group I

1. Norway 2/8 (+7) 6

2. Estonia 2/8 (0) 3

3. Israel 2/8 (-1) 3

4. Italy 0/8 (0) 0

5. Moldova 2/8 (-6) 0

Group J

1. North Macedonia 2/8 (+3) 4

2. Wales 2/8 (+2) 4

3. Kazakhstan 2/8 (0) 3

4. Belgium 0/8 (0) 0

5. Liechtenstein 2/8 (-5) 0

Group K

1. England 2/8 (+5) 6

2. Albania 2/8 (+1) 3

3. Latvia 2/8 (-2) 3

4. Serbia 0/8 (0) 0

5. Andorra 2/8 (-4) 0

Group L

1. Czech Republic 2/8 (+5) 6

2. Montenegro 2/8 (+3) 6

3. Croatia 0/8 (0) 0

4. Faroe Islands 2/8 (-2) 0

5. Gibraltar 2/8 (-6) 0

After Matchday 2

Qualification:

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Czech Republic

Denmark

England

France

Germany

North Macedonia

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Spain

Switzerland

Play-Offs:

Albania

Estonia

Finland

Greece

Hungary

Italy

Montenegro

Moldova

Northern Ireland

Romania

San Marino

Slovakia

Sweden

Turkey

Ukraine

Wales

Enjoy San Marino being in the play-offs while you can Qualifying returns in June but Groups A-F don't begin until September.

England Squad for their World Cup qualifying match against Andorra and an friendly against Senegal:

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Burnley)

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Kyle Walker (AC Milan, on loan from Manchester City)

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Jordan Henderson (Ajax), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle)

Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).

Matchday 3 - Friday

Group I

Estonia 1-3 Israel

Norway 3-0 Italy

Group J

North Macedonia 1-1 Belgium

Wales 3-0 Lichtenstein

Group L

Czech Republic 2-0 Montenegro

Gibraltar 0-7 Croatia

Italy bottling World Cup qualification for the 3rd time in a row???