England will discover which opponents they can face in today’s World Cup 2026 qualifying draw
The World Cup 2026 qualifying draw is made today in Zurich, and while England will fancy their chances of getting through the group stage unscathed, a difficult scenario could still unfold.
With Thomas Tuchel taking over from interim boss Lee Carsley as of January 1, 2025, the Three Lions will enter a new era starting fresh with a new qualifying campaign.
The Three Lions have been entered into Pot 1 amongst some of Europe’s heavyweights including Euro 2024 winners Spain, World Cup 2022 finalists France, Germany and Italy.
That means for the most part, Tuchel’s men will be able to dodge some of the trickier teams in qualifying with 54 teams filling out the 12 groups in total.
The entire group stage campaign will take place in 2025, with six groups kicking off their fixtures in March. All group winners will seal their place in the expanded 48-team World Cup, with four remaining places up for grabs in the play-offs.
Six groups will have four teams and the other six will have five due to the uneven number in the UEFA section. But it still could prove to be a tough test for England, with some high-ranking teams entering the draw in Pots 2 and 3.
Amongst the Pot 2 teams are Erling Haaland’s Norway, with the Manchester City striker demonstrating his electrifying form at international level in Euro 2024 qualifying with 38 goals from 39 caps.
The Nordic nation may offer the toughest threat, with Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard also posing a danger and Alexander Sorloth recently joining Atletico Madrid.
Erling Haaland has scored 38 goals in 39 Norway caps
There also remains a possibility of facing UK neighbours Wales, with Craig Bellamy’s side occupying a place in Pot 2. Scotland could be drawn in the same group as England and Wales, while the same also applies for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as they settle into Pot 3.
But the most difficult test from Pot 3 could come from Georgia, who were a surprise package at Euro 2024 and reached the last-16.
Moving down into Pot 4 will offer a realistically easier match-up for England, but the prospect of a 7,000-mile round trip to Kazakhstan in the winter won’t be relished by the players or their clubs.
And if England’s group is chosen to make way for a fifth team, Malta might well be the most difficult opponents considering they only lost 2-0 at Wembley in the previous qualifying campaign.
England could face a difficult group in Zurich
World Cup 2026 qualifying pots
Pot 1: Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria
Pot 2: Ukraine, Sweden, Turkiye, 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 and 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
Kazakhstan, who potentially await England, are a 7,000-mile round trip away
England’s nightmare group scenario
Pot 2: Norway
Pot 3: Georgia
Pot 4: Kazakhstan
Pot 5: Malta*
*Pot 5 will only be drawn if England’s group is chosen to welcome a fifth team
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1987891/England-World-Cup-2026-qualifying-nightmare-group