England’s Road to the 2026 World Cup: Qualifiers and Beyond
England, fresh from their Nations League campaign in November and securing promotion back to League A, are now gearing up for their World Cup journey under new manager Thomas Tuchel. With the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to begin in March 2025, the focus is shifting towards securing a place in the tournament, which is now less than 18 months away. Some confederations are already midway through their qualification process, while others, like UEFA, have recently concluded their draw.
UEFA World Cup Qualifying Draw
Teams have been drawn into 12 groups of four or five teams, with each team playing home and away matches. Groups with five teams will begin qualifying in March 2025, while those with four teams will start in September. All group stages will conclude in November 2025.
England have been placed in Group K, where Tuchel’s first assignments as England boss will be home fixtures against Albania and Latvia. The 12 group winners will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, while the four remaining UEFA spots will be decided in a play-off round involving the 12 group runners-up.
UEFA World Cup Qualifying Play-offs
The 12 group runners-up will be joined by the four best-ranked Nations League group winners who did not finish in the top two of their qualifying group. These 16 teams will be drawn into four play-off paths, each featuring four teams. The semi-finals and finals will be played as single-leg matches in March 2026, just months before the World Cup kicks off.
Key Fixture Dates
- Group Stages: March to November 2025
- Play-offs: 26th–31st March 2026
- World Cup: 11th June–19th July 2026
England’s Confirmed Fixtures
- 21st March 2025: Albania (H)
- 24th March 2025: Latvia (H)
- 7th June 2025: Andorra (A)
- 10th June 2025: Senegal (H) – Friendly
- 6th September 2025: Andorra (H)
- 9th September 2025: Serbia (A)
- 14th October 2025: Latvia (A)
- 13th November 2025: Serbia (H)
- 16th November 2025: Albania (A)
Expanded World Cup Format
The 2026 World Cup, hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, will feature 48 teams for the first time, up from 32. This expansion means more spots for each confederation:
- UEFA: 16 spots
- CAF: 9 spots (up from 5)
- AFC: 8 spots (up from 4.5)
- CONCACAF: 6 spots (including 3 for the hosts)
- CONMEBOL: 6 spots (up from 4.5)
- OFC: 1 guaranteed spot (up from 0.5)
The tournament will begin with 12 groups of four teams, with the top two advancing to the knockout stages, along with the eight best third-placed teams, creating a round of 32. The final will be held at the MetLife Stadium in New York.
Key Venues
Some of the 16 host stadiums include:
- MetLife Stadium, New York: 82,500 capacity
- AT&T Stadium, Dallas: 80,000 capacity
- Estadio Azteca, Mexico City: 87,523 capacity
- SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles: 70,240 capacity
Looking Ahead
As England prepare for their qualifiers, the squad’s blend of youth and experience under Tuchel’s leadership will be pivotal. With the expanded World Cup format offering more opportunities, England will aim to build on their recent successes and make a strong push for glory in 2026. Before the tournament, however, the focus remains on navigating the UEFA qualifiers and securing their place in North America.
