The primary steps on England supervisor Thomas Tuchel’s mission to win the 2026 Fifa World Cup start with eight qualifiers inside eight months in 2025.
The Three Lions are aiming to qualify for a seventh consecutive version of the match, which will probably be held in Canada, Mexico and the US.
Ranked fourth within the Fifa rankings earlier than their qualifying marketing campaign started, England’s greatest run since they failed to succeed in the finals in 1994 has been a fourth-placed end in 2018.
Right here’s what you could know concerning the England soccer staff fixtures, group and qualifiers for the World Cup, together with who they’re enjoying and the way they will qualify.
54 nations will compete for 16 spots at #WeAre26…
🥁 UEFA #FIFAWorldCup qualifying is right here!
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 21, 2025
England World Cup qualifiers: What group are they in?
England are in Group Ok alongside Albania, Latvia, Andorra and Serbia. Of these opponents, Serbia’s standing of 32 at the beginning of qualifying made them by far the highest-ranked staff Tuchel’s facet will face.
Serbia proved tricky opponents at Euro 2024, with solely a Jude Bellingham objective separating the groups of their opener in Germany.
Together with video games as Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro, Dragan Stojkovic’s nation have misplaced their final 5 conferences with England, though they held a powerful report of 1 defeat of their final 21 World Cup qualifying matches earlier than the group started, profitable 14 and drawing six.
⏪ Again in November 2021…
🏴5️⃣-0️⃣🇦🇱 pic.twitter.com/JfIJQD39r0
— England (@England) March 21, 2025
Albania are ranked sixty fifth and misplaced 5-0 at Wembley Stadium after they final met England in November 2021, together with a first-half Harry Kane hat-trick.
Albania are one in every of 5 nations England have confronted greater than six occasions and gained towards each time, alongside Luxembourg (9), San Marino (8), Malta (7) and Andorra (6).
Latvia are ranked one hundred and fortieth and have by no means performed England earlier than, whereas Andorra are 171st and have misplaced all six of the encounters between the international locations by an combination rating of 25-0.
Ben Chilwell, Bukayo Saka, Tammy Abraham, James Ward-Prowse and Jack Grealish scored when England gained 5-0 in Andorra in October 21.
Togetherness and making a bond 🤝 pic.twitter.com/hkQRundhgg
— England (@England) March 21, 2025
England soccer staff World Cup qualifying fixtures
All fixtures begin at 19:45 GMT until in any other case acknowledged.
Friday, March 21: England 2-0 Albania
Monday, March 24: England v Latvia
Saturday, June 7: Andorra v England (17:00)
Saturday, September 6: England v Andorra (17:00)
Tuesday, September 9: Serbia v England
Tuesday, October 14: Latvia v England
Thursday, November 13: England v Serbia
Sunday, November 16: Albania v England (17:00)
Sound on for this one. 🤩🔊 pic.twitter.com/ozcnaDn58Q
— England (@England) March 19, 2025
England video games: What occurs if Three Lions prime group?
The highest staff from every of the 12 European Qualifier teams proceeds mechanically to the finals, which will probably be expanded to 48 groups.
Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, France and Croatia are among the many different favourites to win their teams.
What occurs if England end second in World Cup qualifiers?
England will probably be eradicated in the event that they end third or beneath and enter the play-offs between March 26-31 2026 if they arrive second.
The 12 runners-up in every group will be a part of 4 Nations League groups within the play-offs, which will probably be drawn from pots primarily based on groups’ data through the marketing campaign. The video games will comprise single-leg semi-finals and finals.
The draw for the World Cup finals will happen in December 2025. The match runs from June 11 till July 19 2026.