Türkiye set to face Spain in tough 2026 World Cup qualifying group

ISTANBUL/ANKARA

Spain, fresh off their UEFA Nations League triumph, will compete in Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup European qualifiers alongside Türkiye, Bulgaria and Georgia.

After a dramatic quarterfinal victory against the Netherlands on penalties (5-4), Spain secured their place in the Nations League semifinals and will now shift focus to the World Cup qualifiers.

Türkiye, meanwhile, earned promotion to the top tier of the Nations League by defeating Hungary in both legs of the playoff round.

The group stage draw set up several competitive matchups across Europe. Other notable groups include reigning world champions Argentina’s European challengers, traditional powerhouses such as France and Germany, and teams like Portugal and the Netherlands seeking a direct path to the finals.

2026 FIFA World Cup European qualifying groups:

Group A: Luxembourg, Northern Ireland, Germany, Slovakia

Group B: Kosovo, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland

Group C: Belarus, Greece, Denmark, Scotland

Group D: Azerbaijan, Iceland, France, Ukraine

Group E: Bulgaria, Georgia, Spain, Türkiye

Group F: Armenia, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal

Group G: Finland, Poland, Netherlands, Lithuania, Malta

Group H: Cyprus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Austria, Romania, San Marino

Group I: Norway, Israel, Italy, Estonia, Moldova

Group J: North Macedonia, Wales, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein

Group K: England, Latvia, Serbia, Andorra, Albania

Group L: Montenegro, Czechia, Croatia, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar

Qualification format

The group winners will secure direct qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The 12 second-placed teams will enter a playoff round alongside four teams from the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League rankings.

These 16 teams will be split into four paths, with each path consisting of a single-leg semifinal and final.

The winner of each path will claim one of the final four European spots for the tournament.

With Spain a clear favorite in Group E, Türkiye will aim to challenge for an automatic qualification spot while Bulgaria and Georgia look to upset the balance.