- The 2026 World Cup qualifying draw took place in Zurich on Friday
- Thomas Tuchel is set to take charge of England for their qualifying campaign
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Thomas Tuchel and England have been handed a relatively straight forward route to the finals of the 2026 World Cup after the draw made in Switzerland this afternoon.
Tuchel will start his England tenure with at least one qualifying game in March after the 2022 quarter-finalists were drawn in to a five-team qualifying group comprising Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra.
Of those teams, Serbia are the highest ranked nation at number 32. They were beaten 1-0 by a Jude Bellingham goal in the opening game of last summer’s Euros. The Serbs have recently been charged in relation to racism and the letting off of fireworks.
Serbia’s federation has been banned from selling tickets for the team’s next two away games in UEFA competitions and must close parts of its stadium at two home games.
It is not yet known when they will face England as fixtures for qualifying have not yet been announced.
That apart England will not have reason to particularly fear Albania – who they have beaten four times from four games – Latvia – who they have never played – or Andorra, against whom they have accumulated a 26-0 aggregate score over six games.
New England boss Thomas Tuchel attended the World Cup qualifying draw in Zurich
England will face Serbia again, after beating them 1-0 thanks to a Jude Bellingham header at the Euros
Harry Kane’s England will also face Albania, Latvia and Andorra in qualifying
There are 12 qualifying groups in total, with the winners of each automatically qualifying for the World Cup.
The runner-ups in each group will go into the play-offs, with four teams set to progress from those to make the tournament.
Each side will face each other at home and away, meaning Tuchel’s side will have eight qualifying matches.
Elsewhere, the other four home nations also discovered their opponents for qualifying.
Scotland, who have not qualified for the World Cup since 1998, have been placed in Group C alongside Greece, Belarus and the loser of the Nations League quarter-final between Portugal and Denmark.
Wales reached the last World Cup two years ago to end their 64-year wait to play on the biggest stage.
They have been drawn in Group J alongside Belgium, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein.
Republic of Ireland will face Hungary, Armenia and the winner of the Nations League quarter-final between Portugal and Denmark in Group F, while Northern Ireland are in Group A with Slovakia, Luxembourg and the winner of the Nations League quarter-final between Germany and Italy.