England have been drawn in a group with Serbia following the draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Europe, which took place on Friday. As they begin their journey under new head coach Thomas Tuchel, England have also been grouped alongside Albania, Latvia, and Andorra in the five-team Group K.

England, who have qualified for every World Cup since missing the 1994 tournament in the United States, recently faced Serbia in their opening match of Euro 2024, securing a 1-0 victory with a goal from Jude Bellingham.

The qualifying matches are scheduled to take place between March and November next year. Group winners will qualify directly for the World Cup in North America, while runners-up from each of the 12 groups will compete in play-offs for a chance to secure one of Europe’s 16 spots in the expanded 48-team tournament.

The final composition of the groups remains uncertain, as it hinges on the results of the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals in March. These matches will see reigning European champions Spain face the Netherlands, Germany take on Italy, Portugal play Denmark, and France meet Croatia.

The outcome of these quarter-finals will determine whether teams advance to the Nations League semi-finals in June or are placed into World Cup qualifying groups. For instance, France, who have competed in the last two World Cup finals, will join a group with Ukraine, Iceland, and Azerbaijan if they reach the Nations League final four. However, if France lose to Croatia in the quarter-finals, they will be placed in Group L alongside the Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, and Gibraltar.

Similarly, reigning European champions Spain, who won the most recent edition of the Nations League, will be grouped with Türkiye, Georgia, and Bulgaria if they defeat the Netherlands. Should they lose, they will join Group G, which includes Poland, Finland, Lithuania, and Malta.

The six five-team groups will begin qualifying in March, while the six four-team groups will start in September.

In Group C, Scotland, who are aiming to qualify for their first World Cup since 1998, will face Greece, Belarus, and the loser of the Nations League quarter-final between Portugal and Denmark. Scotland and Greece are also set to play a separate play-off in March to determine their position in the top tier of the next Nations League.

Wales have been drawn into Group J alongside Belgium, as was the case in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup when both nations progressed to the finals in Qatar. They will also face North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and minnows Liechtenstein in the group stage.