ENGLAND have discovered who they will face in order to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The Three Lions, who will be led into the tournament by new German boss Thomas Tuchel, were among the top seeds alongside France and Spain.
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With Tuchel watching on at the draw in Zurich, England discovered they were in Group K and their first opponent was Serbia from pot two.
Pot three saw them draw Albania, while the teams out of pot four and five were Latvia and Andorra respectively.
Serbia and Albania have controversial history behind them, with Uefa slapping Albanian forward Mirlind Daku with a two-game ban for anti-Serbian chants earlier this year.
Uefa also fined Serbia for trying to burn an Albanian flag.
Serbia even threatened to QUIT Euro 2024 over chants directed at them by Albania and Croatia.
Having pitted them against each other in Group K, there will be fears of fireworks in England’s group.
Elsewhere, Wales landed in Group J with Belgium, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein.
Scotland were put in Group C against the Uefa Nations League losing quarter-finalist between Portugal and Denmark, as well as Greece and Belarus.
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Northern Ireland were pit against the winner of Germany vs Italy, as well as Slovakia and Luxembourg in Group A.
England’s first games during this campaign will come over the spring international break on March 21-25.
Among England’s opponents, Serbia will serve as the toughest test for Tuchel.
The Three Lions last faced the team led by Alexander Mitrovic at the Euros during the summer.
England prevailed 1-0 in a dour match, with Jude Bellingham scoring the only goal after 13 minutes.
Albania and Andorra were in England’s most recent World Cup qualification group and proved easy opponents.
Gareth Southgate’s side beat Albania 5-0 at Wembley and 2-0 away, whil Andorra put up even less opposition, with England winning 4-0 at home and 5-0 away.
The Three Lions have never played Latvia.
World Cup qualifying draw in full
Group A: Winner GER/ITA, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo
Group C: Loser POR/DEN, Greece, Scotland, Belarus
Group D: Winner FRA/CRO, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan
Group E: Winner SPA/NED, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria
Group F: Winner POR/DEN, Hungary, Ireland, Armenia
Group G: Loser SPA/NED, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino
Group I: Loser GER/ITA, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechenstein
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra
Group L: Loser FRA/CRO, Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar
The actual World Cup will start on June 11 2026 with Mexico City hosting the opener, while New Jersey will host the final on July 19 following a record 39 day tournament.
The World Cup’s new format will see 12 four-team groups and will also feature a last-32 knockout round for the first time to accommodate the expansion to 48 teams.
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How will the 2026 World Cup work?
By Martin Lipton
The 2026 World Cup will be something of a logistical nightmare.
Three countries, not one city. In 16 venues, split across four time zones and thousands of miles — rather than the distance between Selhurst Park and Kenilworth Road.
With 48 teams, as opposed to the 32 that has been the norm since 1998. More from Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Even, for the first time, a guaranteed slot for Oceania.
And, almost certainly, a record 104 MATCHES and 33 days as well.
It will be 12 groups of four but the real issues are over the next stage.
The easiest way would be the top two in each group, plus the eight best third-place teams, reaching the final 32 and eight games, instead of seven, required to win.
Read all about it here.
