European Qualifying Draw for 2026 World Cup in North America Now in Play as Nations League Ends

The European qualifying draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place on December 9, 2022, in Frankfurt, Germany.

The draw will determine the 13 European teams that will qualify for the tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams, up from 32 in previous tournaments. This expansion means that there will be more opportunities for European teams to qualify for the World Cup.

The European qualifying draw will be based on the UEFA Nations League rankings. The top three teams in each of the four Nations League divisions will automatically qualify for the World Cup.

The remaining 12 teams will compete in a play-off tournament for the remaining three World Cup spots.

Here is a look at the European qualifying draw procedure:

1. The 55 UEFA nations will be divided into 10 groups of five teams and five groups of six teams.
2. The teams will play each other home and away in a round-robin format.
3. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the World Cup.
4. The remaining 10 teams will compete in a play-off tournament for the remaining three World Cup spots.

The draw for the European qualifying groups will be held on September 23, 2023.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first to be hosted by three countries. The United States will host 60 matches, including the final, while Canada and Mexico will each host 10 matches.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first to use a new format, with 16 groups of three teams. The top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout stage.