March 21, 2025 – March 31, 2026
Source: https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/
The UEFA qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is in its final stages of the Group Stage (Matchdays 9 and 10 are in November 2025).
A total of 16 UEFA nations will qualify for the World Cup: 12 group winners directly qualify, and 4 play-off winners claim the remaining spots.
Here are the current standings for all 12 groups, based on match results through October 2025:
⚽ 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification – UEFA Group Standings
| Group | Pos | Team | Played (Pld) | Points (Pts) | Goal Difference (GD) | Qualification Status Update |
| Group A | 1 | Germany | 4 | 9 | +5 | Competing for direct spot with Slovakia. |
| 2 | Slovakia | 4 | 9 | +3 | Competing for direct spot with Germany. | |
| 3 | Northern Ireland | 4 | 6 | +1 | ||
| 4 | Luxembourg | 4 | 0 | -9 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| Group B | 1 | Switzerland | 4 | 10 | +9 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). |
| 2 | Kosovo | 4 | 7 | -1 | Fighting for 2nd/Play-off spot. | |
| 3 | Slovenia | 4 | 3 | -3 | ||
| 4 | Sweden | 4 | 1 | -5 | ||
| Group C | 1 | Denmark | 4 | 10 | +11 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). |
| 2 | Scotland | 4 | 10 | +5 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). | |
| 3 | Greece | 4 | 3 | -3 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| 4 | Belarus | 4 | 0 | -13 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| Group D | 1 | France | 4 | 10 | +6 | |
| 2 | Ukraine | 4 | 7 | +1 | ||
| 3 | Iceland | 4 | 4 | +2 | ||
| 4 | Azerbaijan | 4 | 1 | -9 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| Group E | 1 | Spain | 4 | 12 | +15 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). |
| 2 | Türkiye (Turkey) | 4 | 9 | +3 | Fighting for 2nd/Play-off spot. | |
| 3 | Georgia | 4 | 3 | -3 | ||
| 4 | Bulgaria | 4 | 0 | -15 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| Group F | 1 | Portugal | 4 | 10 | +7 | |
| 2 | Hungary | 4 | 5 | +1 | ||
| 3 | Republic of Ireland | 4 | 4 | -1 | ||
| 4 | Armenia | 4 | 3 | -7 | ||
| Group G | 1 | Netherlands | 6 | 16 | +19 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). |
| 2 | Poland | 6 | 13 | +6 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). | |
| 3 | Finland | 7 | 10 | -5 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| 4 | Lithuania | 7 | 3 | -5 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| 5 | Malta | 6 | 2 | -15 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| Group H | 1 | Austria | 6 | 15 | +16 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). |
| 2 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6 | 13 | +8 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). | |
| 3 | Romania | 6 | 10 | +5 | ||
| 4 | Cyprus | 7 | 8 | +2 | ||
| 5 | San Marino | 7 | 0 | -31 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| Group I | 1 | Norway | 6 | 18 | +26 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). |
| 2 | Italy | 6 | 15 | +10 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). | |
| 3 | Israel | 7 | 9 | -4 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| 4 | Estonia | 7 | 4 | -10 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| 5 | Moldova | 6 | 1 | -22 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| Group J | 1 | Belgium | 6 | 14 | +15 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). |
| 2 | North Macedonia | 7 | 13 | +9 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). | |
| 3 | Wales | 6 | 10 | +3 | ||
| 4 | Kazakhstan | 7 | 7 | -4 | ||
| 5 | Liechtenstein | 6 | 0 | -23 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| Group K | 1 | England | 6 | 18 | +18 | QUALIFIED for 2026 FIFA World Cup |
| 2 | Albania | 6 | 11 | +3 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for 2nd/Play-off spot). | |
| 3 | Serbia | 6 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 4 | Latvia | 7 | 5 | -9 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| 5 | Andorra | 7 | 1 | -12 | Eliminated from top two contention. | |
| Group L | 1 | Croatia | 6 | 16 | +19 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for Direct Spot). |
| 2 | Czechia | 7 | 13 | +4 | Confirmed in Top Two (Fighting for 2nd/Play-off spot). | |
| 3 | Faroe Islands | 7 | 12 | +4 | ||
| 4 | Montenegro | 6 | 6 | -9 | ||
| 5 | Gibraltar | 6 | 0 | -18 | Eliminated from top two contention. |
Key Confirmed Status:
- Qualified for World Cup (1 Team): England (Group K Winner)
- Confirmed Top Two Finish (Play-offs minimum, 11 Teams): Switzerland, Denmark, Scotland, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Norway, Italy, Belgium, North Macedonia, Croatia, Czechia, Albania.
The final two matchdays (November 13-18) will determine the remaining direct qualifiers and the final 12 play-off teams.
The European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are spread across an entire year, split into two distinct stages.
The entire UEFA qualification process—from the first group match to the final play-off match—spans approximately 13 months.
Here is a breakdown of the beginning and end dates for both the Group Stage and the Play-off Stage:
📅 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification (UEFA) Key Dates
| Stage | Beginning Date | End Date | Duration |
| Group Stage (Round One) | March 21, 2025 (First match of a 5-team group) | November 18, 2025 (Final group match) | ~8 Months |
| Play-offs (Round Two) | March 26, 2026 (Semi-finals) | March 31, 2026 (Finals) | 6 Days |
| Overall Tournament | March 21, 2025 | March 31, 2026 | ~13 Months |
Key Notes on the Schedule
- Group Stage Start: While the overall Group Stage started in March 2025, the groups with only four teams (Groups A-F, which includes Luxembourg) began their fixtures later, in September 2025.
- Play-off Draw: The draw to determine the four play-off paths (involving 16 teams) will take place shortly after the group stage concludes, on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
- World Cup Finals: The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Tournament will begin on June 11, 2026, in North America.
Since we are currently in early November 2025, the final group stage matchdays are happening soon!
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