﻿{
    "id": "21379",
    "author": "23",
    "title": "FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying: UEFA Preliminary Draw Unveils Path For Europe\u2019s 54 Hopefuls",
    "lang": "en",
    "series": "1",
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    "article_type": "general",
    "excerpt": "FIFA World Cup: The road to the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been mapped out for Europe\u2019s 54 hopefuls at the UEFA preliminary draw in Zurich. A record-high number of 16 places are up for grabs for UEFA representatives at the historic 48-team showpiece in Canada, Mexico and the USA.",
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    "editor1": "FIFA World Cup: The road to the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been mapped out for Europe\u2019s 54 hopefuls at the UEFA preliminary draw in Zurich. A record-high number of 16 places are up for grabs for UEFA representatives at the historic 48-team showpiece in Canada, Mexico and the USA.<p>Eight of the 12 groups will only have a confirmed Pot 1 team after March\u2019s UEFA Nations League quarter-finals as the winners and losers of the matchups will be placed in different groups. Enthralling encounters are already guaranteed, with England-Serbia, Switzerland-Sweden and Belgium-Wales just a few of the mouth-watering matches in store.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The UEFA qualifying group stage will begin in March 2025 and conclude in November 2025. It will follow a familiar format, with 12 groups of four or five teams, and the group winners securing a place at the FIFA World Cup 2026.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The four remaining places will then be decided in March 2026 in a 16-team UEFA play-off involving the 12 group-stage runners-up and the four best-ranked UEFA Nations League 2024-25 group winners that have neither qualified directly for the FIFA World Cup as group winners nor entered the play-offs already as group runners-up.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>FIFA World Cup 2026: UEFA preliminary draw results<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Group A: Winner of Italy vs Germany (QF4), Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Group C: Loser of Denmark vs Portugal (QF3), Greece, Scotland, Belarus<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Group D: Winner of Croatia vs France (QF2), Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Group E: Winner of Netherlands vs Spain (QF1), Turkiye, Georgia, Bulgaria<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Group F: Winner of Denmark vs Portugal (QF3), Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Armenia<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Group G: Loser of Netherlands vs Spain ( QF1), Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Group I: Loser of Italy vs Germany (QF4), Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Group K: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/tagging\/highest-tax-paying-cricketers\">Highest tax paying cricketers<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Article Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/ians.in\/english-wire\/sports\/1\" rel=\"nofollow\">IANS<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n",
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    "created": "2024-12-13 19:24:03",
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