2026 World Cup qualifying pots confirmed as England discover potential opponents

England will be among the big-hitters for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers with Thomas Tuchel handed a dream scenario. The German is set to lead the Three Lions in their task to secure a place at the tournament that will take place in Canada, Mexico and the United States. And with the UEFA Nations League campaign now over, England have discovered what pot they will be in.

Each of the Nations League quarter-finalists have earned an automatic spot in Pot 1. That means Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain will be among the highest-seeded teams. They have been joined by the four next highest ranking teams in the FIFA Men’s world rankings.



That will include England, Belgium, Switzerland and Denmark. Meanwhile, fellow home nation Wales have been placed in Pot 2, while Scotland , the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are all in Pot 3. The draw for the World Cup itself will take place on December 13.

Teams will be divided into 12 groups - six containing four teams and a further six groups containing five teams. Those nations placed into a five-team group will kick-off their qualifying campaign in March when Tuchel will take charge of his first matches as England boss. Nations League play-off teams from Pots 2 to 4 will be prioritised for allocation to a four-team group.

Meanwhile, if a play-off team is in Pot 5, they will be allocated a five-team group. Each team will play each other twice in the qualifying campaign. Each group winner will automatically qualify for the World Cup, with runners-up due to face a playoff.

Take a look at all of the confirmed seedings for the qualifying draw below. Will Thomas Tuchel be a success for England? Share your thoughts in the comments below Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria Ukraine, Sweden, Turkey, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Czechia, Norway Scotland, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Kosovo, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Lithuania Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, San Marino 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.

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