Denmark a lucky loser as European groups complete for 2026 qualifiers
Germany, Portugal, Spain and France have advanced to the Final Four mini tournament in June to determine the 2024-25 Nations League champions, which means that they will be entered into four-team groups for the World Cup qualifying campaign and start in September.
One loser, Denmark, will also go into a group of four while the other three - Italy, Croatia and the Netherlands - will be in groups of five and start their bid in June to make it to the 48-team finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The group draw was conducted in December and placeholders used for the Nations League quarter-finalists.
Germany will now face Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg in Group A; France are in Group D alongside Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan; Spain play Turkey, Georgia and Bulgaria in Group E; and Portugal go into Group F with Hungary, Ireland and Armenia.
Denmark also go into a four-team group, joining Greece, Scotland and Belarus in Group C.
The Netherlands are placed into Group G alongside Finland, Poland, Lithuania and Malta; Italy join Norway, Israel, Estonia and Moldova in Group I; and Croatia are in Group L together with the Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands and Gibraltar.
The UEFA zone sends 16 teams to the World Cup, which has been expanded from 32 to 48 teams. The winners from the 12 groups qualify directly and the other four spots are awarded by a two-stage play-off series featuring the 12 runners-up and four teams via their Nations League results.
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