Europe's World Cup 2026: Direct Qualifiers Crowned and Playoff Spots Set in Motion
19 November 2025
Direct European seats for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, have been decided for 12 teams, while playoff spots loom with a twist. At the close of the first round of the European qualifiers, 12 teams topped their groups to secure direct entry.
In the playoff picture, 16 teams will contest four paths in March, with four more World Cup berths up for grabs. The Nations League pathway adds four more teams to the playoff lineup, namely Romania, Sweden, Northern Ireland and North Macedonia, creating a busy spring of football anticipation.
12 direct European tickets
Germany
The Germans clinched a World Cup 2026 berth by winning Group 1 with 15 points from 6 matches, collecting five wins and one defeat, while scoring 16 and conceding just 3. A 6-0 thrashing of Slovakia in the final round sealed the top spot by a three point margin.
Switzerland
Switzerland topped Group 2 with 14 points from 6 matches, boasting four wins and two draws with no losses. They edged Kosovo by three points after a decisive finish in the last round.
Scotland
Scotland claimed the group crown in Group 3 with 13 points from 6 games, featuring four wins, one draw and a single loss, while scoring 13 and conceding 7. A 4-2 victory over Denmark in the final round secured the top berth.
France
France reached the World Cup 2026 by finishing first in Group 4 with 16 points from 6 matches, boasting five wins and one draw, 16 goals scored and only 4 conceded. They secured qualification ahead of Ukraine with a comfortable lead, aided by a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan in the last round after already confirming qualification the round before.
Spain
Spain cruised to qualification by topping Group 5 with 16 points from 6 matches, securing five wins and a draw, scoring 21 goals while only conceding two. The Spaniards finished first, three points clear of Turkey, after a 2-2 draw in the final round kept the chase competitive.
Portugal
Portugal joined the direct qualifiers by winning Group 6 with 13 points from 6 matches, with four wins, one draw and one loss. They netted 20 goals and conceded 7, finishing three points ahead of Ireland after a 9-1 demolition of Armenia in the last round, even without Cristiano Ronaldo on the scoresheet.
Netherlands
Netherlands qualified by topping Group 7 with 20 points, courtesy of six wins and two draws in eight matches. They scored 27 goals and conceded only 4, sealing progress with a 4-0 win over Lithuania in the final round.
Austria
Austria sealed a direct World Cup spot by leading Group 8 with 19 points from 6 wins, one draw and one defeat, tallying 22 goals while only conceding 4. They finished two points clear of Bosnia and Herzegovina after a final round draw.
Norway
Norway earned a World Cup berth by dominating Group 9 with 24 points, winning all eight matches and scoring 37 while conceding 5. They confirmed their place with a 4-1 triumph over Italy in the last round.
Belgium
Belgium claimed their ticket by topping Group 10 with 18 points from five wins and three draws, scoring 29 and conceding 7. They finished two points ahead of Wales after a 7-0 win over Liechtenstein in the final round.
England
England were the first European side to clinch a World Cup 2026 berth, topping Group 11 with two matchdays to spare. The Three Lions finished the group stage with eight wins, 22 goals scored and zero goals conceded, leaving Albania as the closest pursuer behind them by a wide margin.
Croatia
Croatia advanced at the head of the final group, Group 12, with 22 points from 7 wins and 1 draw, scoring 26 and conceding 4. They sealed the top spot by beating Montenegro 3-2 in the last round, leaving little room for surprise.
12 runners-up awaiting the playoff
Bearing in mind the 12 direct qualifiers, another 12 teams sit just behind them in the standings, awaiting the playoff. This group includes Slovakia, Kosovo, Denmark, Ukraine, Turkey, Ireland, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Wales, Albania and the Czech Republic, all chasing the remaining World Cup slots in March.
In addition, four teams from the Nations League will join the playoff path to make the bracket more competitive, namely Romania, Sweden, Northern Ireland and North Macedonia, ensuring a robust European championship push for 2026.
In short, 16 teams will compete in the playoff, and from those four will be crowned the new World Cup representatives, with the tournament kicking off in June across three host nations in North America.
Punchline 1: Bang your brackets, Europe has spoken; the map to 2026 just got a sniper level of precise, with zero tolerance for chaos in the group stages.
Punchline 2: If a bracket falls in the forest and no one is around to see it, does it still make a playoff noise? Yes, and it echoes all the way to the World Cup stage, buddy.
