FIFA Confirm World Cup Qualifying Draw: Date, Times, Process Explained

FIFA have officially confirmed the time and date for the upcoming World Cup qualifying draw for UEFA affiliated nations.

When is the World Cup draw for European nations?
FIFA officially confirmed on Tuesday that the draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers will take place on Friday December 13 at 11.00 GMT (12.00 CET).

How many nations compete and how many qualify
54 UEFA-affiliated nations will qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which is being co-hosted by three nations in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

As the 2026 World Cup will now feature 48 nations instead of the previous 32-team format, European nations will be competing for 16 places instead of 13 at the most recent World Cups.

How does qualifying work?
Though the tournament has expanded, the UEFA qualifying process has done the opposite.

This time around, teams will be divided into 12 groups of either four or five.

Each country will play each other twice; once at home and once away and will receive three points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss, as usual.

The 12 group winners will automatically qualify for the final tournament. The 12 runners-up will enter a play-off route, along with the four best-ranked UEFA Nations League group winners who have not already qualified. Those 16 teams will then be whittled down to four, and those four will also qualify to the World Cup.

When are the first European qualifiers?
Teams drawn into groups of five will begin the qualification process during the next international break, which is currently scheduled for March 2025. Teams drawn into groups of four will begin in September.