England face Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra in World Cup qualifying

Thomas Tuchel’s England have been placed in Group K alongside Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra in qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Tuchel officially takes charge of the Three Lions on January 1, and was in attendance for the draw which took place at the UEFA headquarters in Zurich on Friday.

England were in pot one with the top seeds, so they avoided European champions Spain, 2022 World Cup finalists France, as well as Germany and Italy.

The Three Lions do, however, face a reunion with Serbia, who they beat 1-0 in their opening game of Euro 2024, but will have confidence of progressing from their group.

England have never lost against the four sides placed alongside them in Group K, and will be hopeful of qualifying for the World Cup for an eighth consecutive edition.

Group K is complete

Thomas Tuchel’s #ThreeLions have discovered their @FIFAWorldCup qualifying opponents! pic.twitter.com/a9rqHH3ZO7

— England (@England) December 13, 2024

Elsewhere, Craig Bellamy’s Wales were drawn in Group J, where they will face Belgium, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein.

Scotland were put in Group C with the Nations League quarter-final losers of Portugal against Denmark, Greece and Belarus.

Northern Ireland were placed in Group A, alongside the Nations League quarter-final winners of Germany versus Italy, Slovakia and Luxembourg.

The games will be played across five international breaks between March and November 2025.

The top team from each of the 12 groups qualifies automatically for the World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The second-placed teams going into the play-offs, with a total of 16 European teams hopeful of qualifying for the tournament.

UEFA #FIFAWorldCup qualifying groups: locked in.

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 13, 2024

World Cup qualifying draw in full:

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

Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo.

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

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

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

Group F: Portugal or Denmark (winner), Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Armenia.

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

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

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

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

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

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