ENGLAND have discovered who they will face in order to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The Three Lions, who will be led into the tournament by new German boss Thomas Tuchel, were among the top seeds alongside France and Spain.
With Tuchel watching on at the draw in Zurich, England discovered they were in Group K and their first opponent was Serbia from pot two.
Pot three saw them draw Albania, while the teams out of pot four and five were Latvia and Andorra respectively.
Serbia and Albania have controversial history behind them, with Uefa slapping Albanian forward Mirlind Daku with a two-game ban for anti-Serbian chants earlier this year.
Uefa also fined Serbia for trying to burn an Albanian flag.
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Serbia even threatened to QUIT Euro 2024 over chants directed at them by Albania and Croatia.
Having pitted them against each other in Group K, there will be fears of fireworks in England’s group.
Elsewhere, Wales landed in Group J with Belgium, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein.
Scotland were put in Group C against the Uefa Nations League losing quarter-finalist between Portugal and Denmark, as well as Greece and Belarus.
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Northern Ireland were pit against the winner of Germany vs Italy, as well as Slovakia and Luxembourg in Group A.
England’s first games during this campaign will come over the spring international break on March 21-25.
Among England’s opponents, Serbia will serve as the toughest test for Tuchel.
The Three Lions last faced the team led by Alexander Mitrovic at the Euros during the summer.
England prevailed 1-0 in a dour match, with Jude Bellingham scoring the only goal after 13 minutes.
Albania and Andorra were in England’s most recent World Cup qualification group and proved easy opponents.
Gareth Southgate’s side beat Albania 5-0 at Wembley and 2-0 away, whil Andorra put up even less opposition, with England winning 4-0 at home and 5-0 away.
The Three Lions have never played Latvia.
World Cup qualifying draw in full
Group A: Winner GER/ITA, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo
Group C: Loser POR/DEN, Greece, Scotland, Belarus
Group D: Winner FRA/CRO, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan
Group E: Winner SPA/NED, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria
Group F: Winner POR/DEN, Hungary, Ireland, Armenia
Group G: Loser SPA/NED, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino
Group I: Loser GER/ITA, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechenstein
Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra
Group L: Loser FRA/CRO, Czechia, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar
Fans were over the moon at the draw, judging by reactions on X.
One wrote: “Tuchel could literally play himself and three lions and still win the group.”
Another said: “Serbia is the only challenging opponent, the rest should be easy.”
And another wrote: “With Tuchel’s tactics and style of football we should smash all these.”
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The actual World Cup will start on June 11 2026 with Mexico City hosting the opener, while New Jersey will host the final on July 19 following a record 39 day tournament.
The World Cup’s new format will see 12 four-team groups and will also feature a last-32 knockout round for the first time to accommodate the expansion to 48 teams.
Thomas Tuchel on a mission
From Charlie Wyett in Zurich
THOMAS TUCHEL is on a mission to prove himself as England manager after accepting his appointment has not been universally popular.
The Three Lions were today given an easy World Cup 2026 qualifying group as they were pitted against Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra.
Tuchel, aware that many fans believe an Englishman should have been appointed to succeed Gareth Southgate, said: “There’s no hard feelings for that. Of course, it will always be mixed.
“So now I have to prove myself to the people who are maybe a bit concerned. I must prove to them how much it means to me and that it’s a dream job for me that I will give my everything – I’m the man for the job.”
England, whose qualifiers start in March, will face Serbia for only the second time with the only other match coming at Euro 2024 when Jude Bellingham scored the winner.
Serbia were fined £25,000 for racist abuse during that game and other matches at the tournament so there will be genuine concerns over potential problems when the team heads to Belgrade.
England’s Under-21s also suffered horrific racial abuse when they played in the country in 2012 with Danny Rose attacked.
England have never played 140-ranked Latvia before while they faced Albania and Andorra in the last set of World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who officially starts work on January 1, added: “A difficult group is my first impression. Serbia and Albania, for me, are always known for good individual players and emotional groups, emotional fans, so they are difficult opponents.
“It is the first time England play Latvia, so it is a new experience for all of us and, of course, we are favourites against Andorra, but we need to prove it. We have now eight matches to play, whatever comes we want to be ready for it.”
The draw was incredibly complicated and England could have been put in a group of four which would have meant no qualifiers until September.
Tuchel added: “It was very likely that we got a group five. I want to adapt to everything that is coming, not complain, not look for excuses and not expect or wish for something.
“The most important thing is we focus fully on the qualification and we take it seriously and give it our respect and prove a point that we want to go to the USA.”
How will the 2026 World Cup work?
By Martin Lipton
The 2026 World Cup will be something of a logistical nightmare.
Three countries, not one city. In 16 venues, split across four time zones and thousands of miles — rather than the distance between Selhurst Park and Kenilworth Road.
With 48 teams, as opposed to the 32 that has been the norm since 1998. More from Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Even, for the first time, a guaranteed slot for Oceania.
And, almost certainly, a record 104 MATCHES and 33 days as well.
It will be 12 groups of four but the real issues are over the next stage.
The easiest way would be the top two in each group, plus the eight best third-place teams, reaching the final 32 and eight games, instead of seven, required to win.
Read all about it here.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
