World Cup 2026 Qualifiers. Ukraine to face winner of France vs. Croatia tie, alongside Iceland and Azerbaijan

13.12.2024 14:00

On Friday, December 13, the group stage draw for the UEFA zone qualifiers of the FIFA World Cup 2026 took place in Zurich. As a result, Ukraine’s national team discovered its opponents.

The first pot included the UEFA Nations League quarterfinalists — Portugal, France, Germany, Spain, Croatia, Italy, Netherlands, and Denmark — along with England, Belgium, Switzerland, and Austria as the top-ranked teams in the FIFA rankings among those not in the Nations League quarterfinals. The remaining participants were allocated to Pots 2–5 based on the updated FIFA rankings as of November 28, where Ukraine is ranked 25th.

Ahead of the draw, Ukraine was placed in Pot 2. Following the results, Ukraine will compete in Group D alongside the winner of the UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 quarterfinal match between France and Croatia, as well as Iceland and Azerbaijan.

FIFA Graphics

FIFA World Cup 2026. UEFA Zone Qualifiers. First Round

Group A: Germany/Italy (winner), Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg.

Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo.

Group C: Portugal/Denmark (loser), Greece, Scotland, Belarus.

Group D: France/Croatia (winner), Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan.

Group E: Spain/Netherlands (winner), Turkiye, Georgia, Bulgaria.

Group F: Portugal/Denmark (winner), Hungary, Ireland, Armenia.

Group G: Spain/Netherlands (loser), Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta.

Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino.

Group I: Germany/Italy (loser), Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova.

Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein.

Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra.

Group L: France/Croatia (loser), Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar.

Details of the draw procedure in the FIFA release

UEFA: 16 spots.

The UEFA zone qualifiers will run from March 2025 to March 2026 and will consist of two rounds. Teams will compete for 16 spots at the FIFA World Cup.

Round 1: 12 groups of five or four teams will play in a traditional group format from March to November 2025. The 12 group winners will qualify directly for the final stage.

The 12 teams finishing second, along with the four best group winners from the UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 who finish below second in the European qualification group stage, will participate in playoff mini-tournaments.

Round 2: In March 2026, the playoff mini-tournaments will consist of one-match semi-finals and finals. The 16 participants will be divided into four playoff paths. The four winners will earn spots at the World Cup 2026.

AFC (Asia): 8 spots + 1 intercontinental playoff spot

CAF (Africa): 9 spots + 1 intercontinental playoff spot

CONCACAF (North and Central America): 3 hosts + 3 spots + 2 intercontinental playoff spots

CONMEBOL (South America): 6 spots + 1 intercontinental playoff spot

OFC (Oceania): 1 spot + 1 intercontinental playoff spot

Intercontinental Playoff: 2 spots

World Cup 2026 Final Tournament

The World Cup 2026 will be the first in history with 48 teams. 12 groups of four teams will be formed. The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-place teams will advance to the Round of 16.

The matches will be held in 16 cities: Toronto and Vancouver in Canada, Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey in Mexico, and Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle in the USA.

The opening match of the World Cup 2026 will be held on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City, with the final match to be held on July 19, 2026, in New York.