World Cup qualifying draw seedings in Europe completed by Slovakia, Czech wins in Nations League

  draw seedings for 2026 World Cup qualifying groups in Europe were decided Tuesday when last round of Nations League games saw Slovakia and Czech Republic secure a higher status.

FIFA makes draw on Dec. 13 in Zurich for 12 European qualifying groups. 12 first-place teams next November vance directly to tournament being co-hosted by United States, Cana and Mexico. Four more entries are decided in playoffs.

12 top-seeded nations were alrey known before games on Tuesday. Those are eight Nations League quarterfinalists, plus four more teams ranked highest by FIFA, including England.

Slovakia’s 1-0 win over Estonia and Czechs beating Georgia 2-1 ensured y would complete pot of second-seeded teams, which comprises next 12 highest in FIFA ranking.

Those results pushed Scotland down into pot 3, where it risks landing in a tougher group as it seeks qualifying for a first World Cup since 1998.

Europe has 16 entries in first 48-team World Cup and or four places will be decided by playoff knockout brackets in March 2026.

16 playoff teams will be 12 runners-up in World Cup qualifying groups, plus four teams that finished top of a Nations League group this week. y could include Norrn Ireland, Moldova and San Marino.

FIFA draw next month is unusually complex and lacking clarity on day because eight Nations League quarterfinalists will be placeholders. ir precise placing will be decided after two-leg quarterfinals are played on March 20 and 23.

54-team draw will allocate six groups of four teams and six groups of five teams. bigger groups can start in March or June.

Places in four-team qualifying groups must be reserved for four teams that vance to Nations League Final Four in June. Those World Cup groups can only start play in September.

Russia, 55th UEFA member federation, has been banned from international soccer during military invasion of Ukraine.

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World Cup qualifying groups draw seedings:

Pot 1: Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, Italy, Nerlands, Denmark, Croatia, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria.

Pot 2: Ukraine, Turkey, Sweden, Wales, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Norway.

Port 3: Scotland, Slovenia, Ireland, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia, Finland, Iceland, Norrn Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Israel.

Pot 4: Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Belarus, Kosovo, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Cyprus, Faeroe Islands, Latvia, Lithuania.

Pot 5: Moldova, Malta, Andorra, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, San Marino.