World Cup 2026 Uefa qualifying draw and Premier League news – live

There should be more reaction to come, but let’s move lanes over to the Premier League. Earlier, Liverpool manager Arne Slot offered his backing to under-fire forward Darwin Núñez. The Uruguayan has scored only one goal in his last 10 appearances and Slot admitted he kept him on against Girona in the hope he would find the net again.

“I made it clear to him that he is not only judged on the goals he scores, he is also judged on the team performance and he adds something as well with his work-rate and how much he does winning the ball back high up the pitch,” Slot said.

“Ideally he would have scored a few goals more. Maybe in a few weeks you will ask me [why] Mo [Salah] is not scoring any more and Darwin is scoring one goal after another. It is the life of a No 9, sometimes you score, sometimes you don’t.

But what should always be there is work-rate and I think that is what he has, apart from two games: the first one against Las Palmas [a pre-season friendly], and the last half-hour against Girona wasn’t of the standard he should have. That had a lot to do with him being disappointed at missing a few chances.”

World Cup 2026 qualifying draw

And we’re done – with England getting Andorra in Group K because they aren’t able to go into Wales’s group, due to restrictions on travel distances for Kazakhstan. Liechtenstein go into Group J instead.

Group G: Spain v Netherlands loser, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta.
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino.
Group I: Germany v Italy loser, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova.
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein.
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra.
Group L: France v Croatia loser, Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Is, Gibraltar.

Finally, to Pot 5, which contains the lowest-ranked six teams: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein and San Marino. Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, San Marino. They will complete the five-team groups, G to L.

The four-team groups (A-F) are now complete; Luxembourg join Northern Ireland, Belarus are in with Scotland, and land Republic of Ireland. Wales get a long away trip with Kazakhstan in their group, while Latvia are added to Group K with England.

Group A: Germany v Italy winner, Slovakia, N. Ireland, Luxembourg.
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo.
Group C: Portugal v Denmark loser, Greece, Scotland, Belarus.
Group D: France v Croatia winner, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan.
Group E: Spain v Netherlands winner, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria.
Group F: Portugal v Denmark winner, Hungary, Rep of Ire, Armenia.

Group G: Spain v Netherlands loser, Poland, Finland, Lithuania
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus
Group I: Germany v Italy loser, Norway, Israel, Estonia
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia
Group L: France v Croatia loser, Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands

We continue, with the teams in Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Kosovo, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Lithuania.

There is some shuffling around, with teams not involved in Nations League promotion playoffs placed into the five-team groups (G-L). The upshot is that Scotland get a decent draw, in with Greece and the loser of Portugal and Denmark’s Nations League quarter-final. Republic of Ireland face the winner of that tie, as well as Hungary. Northern Ireland will face either Germany or Italy, plus Slovakia.

In Group J, North Macedonia join Belgium and Wales, while in England’s group, Albania have been drawn with Serbia in a nightmare scenario for Uefa administrators.

Group A: Germany v Italy winner, Slovakia, Northern Ireland
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia
Group C: Portugal v Denmark loser, Greece, Scotland
Group D: France v Croatia winner, Ukraine, Iceland
Group E: Spain v Netherlands winner, Turkey, Georgia
Group F: Portugal v Denmark winner, Hungary, Ireland

Group G: Spain v Netherlands loser, Poland, Finland
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia
Group I: Germany v Italy loser, Norway, Israel
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania
Group L: France v Croatia loser, Czechia, Montenegro

Time for Pot 3, which includes Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland …

Scotland, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Israel.

The new England manager, Thomas Tuchel, is here. His side have drawn Serbia – who they faced at Euro 2024, winning 1-0 – in Group K.

England draw Serbia, Wales face Belgium

This Nations League quarter-final business makes the draw a bit confusing; basically, the winners of those last-eight ties in mid-March will go into Groups A, D, E and F – all four-team groups. Now it’s Pot 2, which includes Craig Bellamy’s Wales side.

Pot 2: Ukraine, Sweden, Turkey, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Czechia, Norway.

Group A: Germany or Italy*

Group B: Switzerland

Group C: Portugal or Denmark*

Group D: France or Croatia*

Group E: Spain or Netherlands*

Group F: Denmark or Portugal**

Group G: Netherlands or Spain**

Group H: Austria

Group I: Italy or Germany**

Group J: Belgium

Group K: England

Group L: Croatia or France**

*Winners of Nations League quarter-final
**Slot for defeated quarter-finalists

Nations League quarter-finals: Spain v Netherlands,
France v Croatia, Portugal v Denmark, Germany v Italy.

The teams in Pot One will be drawn first – these are the highest-ranked teams in Europe including Euro 2024 winners Spain, finalists England, plus Germany, Portugal, France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria.

Helping out with draw duties today are Robert Pires, Ariane Hingst, Fernando Llorente, Rachel Yankey and Gianluca Zambrotta. They’re joined by Manolo Zubiria, the 2026 World Cup’s chief tournament officer.

Presenter Semra Hunter is out on stage in Zurich, and he’s joined by the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, dressed in customary suit and ice-white Stan Smiths. He doesn’t seem as invested today as in the World Cup hosting selection party on Wednesday, talking briefly about hosting “the best World Cup ever” before heading off again.

In addition to the 16 European teams, there will be nine African teams at the 2026 World Cup, eight Asian teams and six from South America. The three hosts: Canada, the United States and Mexico, all qualify automatically; three other teams from North and Central America (Concacaf) will earn a spot. Oceania have an automatic spot for the first time; with Australia in AFC qualifying, that is very likely to be New Zealand. In addition, two more teams will qualify through the final intercontinental playoffs in March 2026.

The seeding pots are as follows:

Pot 1: Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria.

Pot 2: Ukraine, Sweden, Turkey, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Czechia, Norway.

Pot 3: Scotland, Slovenia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Israel.

Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Kosovo, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Lithuania.

Pot 5: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, San Marino.

How the Uefa draw will work

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