World Cup 2026 Europe Qualifiers: Groups, Schedule, and How to Watch
11 October 2025
The European path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins in March 2025 as the continent competes in a larger 48‑team tournament hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. A total of 55 UEFA nations are divided into 12 groups, with four or five teams per group, and 16 teams earning direct qualification. The remaining four places will be decided through a playoff that involves the runners-up from the groups and the best four Nations League teams from 2024‑2025 that did not already qualify. The European qualifiers run from March to November 2025, with playoff matches scheduled for March 2026.
How Europe’s World Cup 2026 Qualifiers Work
Europe secures 16 of the 48 World Cup places in this cycle. Groups play a double round‑robin format, with the group winner advancing directly to the World Cup. The four playoff spots come from the runners‑up in each group and the four best Nations League teams that failed to qualify through the groups. The qualifying schedule spans March to November 2025 for the group stage, while the playoff phase is slated for March 2026.
Matches are spread across windows in 2025, giving fans plenty of opportunities to follow their teams as they chase a spot in the global finals. This article summarizes the groups and outlines the fixtures and broadcast details for European fans.
Broadcasting and Viewing Options
BeIN Sports holds the exclusive rights to televise Europe’s World Cup 2026 qualifiers, with the option to follow games on BeIN channels. Online viewers can stream via the TOD TV app and BeIN Connect for BeIN subscribers, ensuring you don’t miss a crucial counterattack or a dramatic stoppage‑time equalizer.
Group Snapshot and Schedule Overview
This guide provides a concise look at the European qualifying groups and key dates, along with general notes on fixtures and the broadcasting plan. For full tables and every match detail, refer to the original source and its complete schedules.
Punchline: If group stages were a dating app, Europe would be swiping right on 16 teams—finally, a qualifiers’ party where someone actually gets invited to the World Cup.
Punchline: And if you mispronounce a player’s name during a live broadcast, just blame the referee for not blowing the whistle on your pronunciation skills—the game still goes on!
