Live ticker
The Swiss national team will find out from 12 p.m. today which teams will stand in their way on the way to the 2026 World Cup. The qualifying groups will be drawn in Zurich.
Switzerland ????????
Sweden ????????
Slovenia ????????
Kosovo ????????
Winner Germany ???????? / Italy ????????
Slovakia ????????
Northern Ireland ????????
Luxemburg ????????
Bulgaria ???????? Luxembourg ???????? Belarus ???????? Kosovo ???????? Armenia ???????? Kazakhstan ???????? Azerbaijan ???????? Estonia ???????? Cyprus ???????? Faroe Islands ???????? Latvia ???????? Lithuania ????????
Winner Portugal ???????? / Denmark ????????
Hungary ????????
Ireland ????????
Losers France ???????? / Croatia ????????
Czech Republic ????????
Montenegro ????????
Winner Spain ???????? / Netherlands ????????
Türkiye ????????
Georgia ????????
England ????????????????????????????
Serbia ????????
Albania ????????
Winner France ???????? / Croatia ????????
Ukraine ????????
Island ????????
Belgium ????????
Wales ????????????????????????????
North Macedonian ????????
Losers Germany ???????? / Italy ????????
Norway ????????
Israel ????????
Austria ????????
Romania ????????
Bosnia and Herzegovina ????????
Losers Spain ???????? / Netherlands ????????
Poland ????????
Finland ????????
Losers Portugal ???????? / Denmark ????????
Greece ????????
Scotland ????————————————
Switzerland ????????
Sweden ????????
Slovenia ????????
Winner Germany ???????? / Italy ????????
Slovakia ????????
Northern Ireland ????????
Scotland ????————————————————————————— Slovenia ???????? Ireland ???????? Albania ???????? North Macedonia ???????? Georgia ???????? Finland ???????? Iceland ???????? Northern Ireland ???????? Montenegro ???????? Bosnia and Herzegovina ???????? Israel ????????
Losers France ???????? / Croatia ????????
Czech Republic ????????
England ????????????????????????????
Serbia ????????
Belgium ????????
Wales ????????????????????????????
Losers Germany ???????? / Italy ????????
Norway ????????
Austria ????????
Romania ????????
Winner Portugal ???????? / Denmark ????????
Hungary ????????
Winner Spain ???????? / Netherlands ????????
Türkiye ????????
Winner France ???????? / Croatia ????????
Ukraine ????????
Losers Portugal ???????? / Denmark ????????
Greece ????????
Losers Spain ???????? / Netherlands ????????
Poland ????????
Switzerland ????????
Sweden ????????
Winner Germany ???????? / Italy ????????
Slovakia ????????
Ukraine ???????? Sweden ???????? Türkiye ???????? Wales ????———————————————————————— Hungary ???????? Serbia ???????? Poland ???????? Romania ???????? Greece ???????? Slovakia ???????? Czech Republic ???????? Norway ????????
There are twelve groups, six each of four and five. Switzerland is in pot 1 and will probably be drawn into a group of five. The semi-finalists of the Nations League are definitely in a group of four – but it is still unclear which four nations these are. Therefore, the quarter-finalists of the Nations League are drawn into two groups as fixtures, with the winner of the quarter-finals in the group of four and the loser in another group.
In the end, only the group winners definitely qualify for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA. The twelve runners-up in the group will contest a playoff for the four remaining places with four other teams, which will be determined based on the results in the Nations League.
Legends Robert Pires from France, Ariane Hingst from Germany, Fernando Llorente from Spain, Rachel Yankey from England and Gianluca Zambrotta from Italy will draw the lots.
The eight quarter-finalists of the Nations League will not know for sure who they will face in qualifying, even after the draw. Since the quarter-finals will not be played until March – when the first qualifying games take place – the fixtures will be drawn into two groups. The winner of the quarter-finals then goes into the group of four and the loser goes into the other group.
Only the group winners will definitely qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The twelve runners-up in the group will contest a playoff for the four remaining places with four other teams, which will be determined based on the results in the Nations League.
Spain ????????
Portugal ????????
Deutschland ????????
France ????????
Italy ????????
Netherlands ????????
Denmark ????????
Croatia ????????
England ????????????????????????????
Belgium ????????
Switzerland ????????
Austria ????????
Ukraine ????????
Sweden ????????
Türkiye ????????
Wales ????????????????????????????
Hungary ????????
Serbia ????????
Poland ????????
Romania ????????
Greece ????????
Slovakia ????????
Czech Republic ????????
Norway ????????
Scotland ????————————————
Slovenia ????????
Ireland ????????
Albania ????????
North Macedonian ????????
Georgia ????????
Finland ????????
Island ????????
Northern Ireland ????????
Montenegro ????????
Bosnia and Herzegovina ????????
Israel ????????
Bulgaria ????????
Luxemburg ????????
Belarus ????????
Kosovo ????????
Armenia ????????
Kazakhstan ????????
Azerbaijan ????????
Estonia ????????
Cyprus ????????
Faroe Islands ????????
Latvia ????????
Lithuania ????????
Moldova ????????
Malta ????????
Andorra ????????
Gibraltar ????????
Liechtenstein ????????
San Marino ????????
Here you can follow the draw for the qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the live ticker from 12 p.m.
Mode and game plan
48 instead of the previous 32 national teams will contest the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the USA and Mexico. Their 16 will be determined in the European qualification. The teams are divided into twelve groups, with the winners qualifying directly for the finals. The twelve runners-up in the group will contest a playoff for the four remaining places with four other teams, which will be determined based on the results in the Nations League.
The stadiums of the 2026 World Cup in North America
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The stadiums of the 2026 World Cup in North America
Atlanta, USA – Mercedes-Benz Stadium (probably 65,085 spectators at the World Cup): home of the Atlanta Falcons (NFL) and Atlanta United (MLS).
quelle: keystone / mike stewart
The Swiss absolutely want to avoid this detour in their efforts to reach the sixth World Cup finals in a row. As a team in pot 1, the chances are good; The really big nations like Spain, England or Germany are avoided. Nevertheless, there are a few stumbling blocks waiting for coach Murat Yakin’s team.
Group of five more likely
The teams are divided into six groups of five and four. The groups of four will only be played on three double dates in the fall. In Pot 1, four places in groups of four are reserved for the four winners of the Nations League final round. While it will only become clear for them in March which group they will play in, only two groups of four remain free for the rest.
This means that Switzerland, which has been relegated from League A and no longer has any appearances in the Nations League, has a slightly greater chance of being drawn into a group of five. These will start playing in March, although there is a chance that Switzerland would only get involved in the action from June. FIFA has announced that it will publish the World Cup qualifying schedule on Friday evening.
The 2034 World Cup is even further away – but is still making headlines:
The lottery pots
Pot 1
Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria.
Pot 2
Ukraine, Sweden, Turkey, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Romania, Greece, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Norway.
Pot 3
Scotland, Slovenia, Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Montenegro, Bosnia, Israel.
Pot 4
Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Belarus, Kosovo, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Lithuania.
Pot 5
Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, San Marino.
Possible groups
This year it is quite difficult to keep track of which groups are even possible. Depending on whether Switzerland ends up in a group of four or five, certain opponents are no longer possible due to their participation in the playoffs in the Nations League and the opponents drawn from other pots. Only one team that is still involved in the Nations League playoffs is allowed per group of five.
The hardest group
The most difficult opponents according to the FIFA world rankings.
Group of 4: Switzerland, Ukraine, Scotland, Luxembourg.
Group of 5: Switzerland, Ukraine, Albania, Luxembourg, Moldova.
Ukraine would be a strong opponent.Bild: keystone
The simplest group
The easiest opponents according to the FIFA world rankings.
Group of 4: Switzerland, Slovakia, Israel, Lithuania.
Group of 5: Switzerland, Slovakia, Israel, Lithuania, San Marino.
The next group
Least travel hassle.
Group of 4: Switzerland, Ukraine (games in Germany), Slovenia, Luxembourg.
Group of 5: Switzerland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein.
A serious Nati fight in Vaduz? Why not.Image: wikimedia
The widest group
Long trips away.
Group of 4: Switzerland, Türkiye, Georgia, Faroe Islands.
Group of 5: Switzerland, Türkiye, Finland, Faroe Islands, Moldova.
Another trip to the Faroe Islands?Bild: EPA/KEYSTONE
The home-away group
Against teams with a large diaspora in Switzerland. Such a constellation only exists in a group of four.
Group of 4: Switzerland, Türkiye, Albania, Kosovo
The cult group
Away trips that are as attractive as possible for Swiss fans.
Group of 4: Switzerland, Wales, Scotland, Luxembourg.
Group of 5: Switzerland, Wales, Scotland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein.
Who would be your dream opponents?
Write us your selection now in the comments.
