Geneva, Sep 2 (AP) European soccer shifts its focus towards securing spots for the 2026 World Cup, with recent champions France, Germany, and Spain among the nations embarking on a fast-paced, six-game qualification journey to join the tournament hosted across North America.
The European qualifiers reignite on Thursday, featuring six action-packed days with 54 teams participating. Among them, 24 teams will take their first steps towards competing on soccer's grandest stage in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, starting June 11.
Italy kicked off their campaign in June but struggled initially. They now continue their quest to shake off past failures and avoid missing out on World Cup qualification for the third time running. Currently, they lag nine points behind group leader Norway.
England, having started its campaign in March, aims to extend its streak having secured three straight wins, maintaining clean sheets under coach Thomas Tuchel's leadership.
This phase also sees top-tier teams commence their qualifiers, after an exhilarating set of Nations League matches in March and June. Spain, winners of the 2010 World Cup, face Bulgaria on Thursday, while Germany, champions in 2014, begin against Slovakia.
France, the 2018 champions, kick off their campaign on Friday with a match against Ukraine. This marks their first game since losing an epic final to Argentina in December 2022.
Due to ongoing security concerns from war, Ukraine will host France in Wroclaw, Poland. Russian teams remain excluded from international competitions following UEFA and FIFA's February 2022 ban sparked by the Russian invasion.
How to Qualify Europe will have 16 spots allotted for the 48-team World Cup, up from the 32-team format held in 2022. The 12 group winners will automatically secure spots when qualifiers end in November. The 12 runners-up enter playoffs set for March, accompanied by four Nations League group winners from last year, potentially including San Marino — FIFA’s lowest-ranked team.
The playoff features 16 European teams in four knockout brackets, with single-game semifinals and finals on March 26 and 31 determining the remaining World Cup places.
Changes in Format The new World Cup entries and expanding Nations League knockout stages have altered the qualification process. Europe now features four-team qualifying groups, a first since November 1989 post-Berlin Wall era. High-ranking nations accustomed to 15-month-long groups now face a condensed schedule with two matches each over three consecutive months.
Germany faces the absence of Jamal Musiala due to a serious leg injury sustained at the Club World Cup in July, exemplifying how injuries can impact qualifiers under the new format. Post-2026, FIFA plans to restructure its national team games into a four-game block during September and October breaks, promising further changes in the competition landscape.
Challenging Groups Among the most formidable groups includes Spain, alongside Turkey and Georgia. Both Turkey and Georgia delivered standout performances at Euro 2024. Spain faces Georgia on October 11, having played Turkey on Thursday.
The group featuring Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, and Kosovo offers unpredictability. Switzerland, a quarterfinalist at Euro 2024, encounters talent-laden squads, including Slovenia with Arsenal's Benjamin Šeško and Sweden boasting Isak, Gyökeres, and Elanga, collectively accumulating over $300 million in signings this season.
Kosovo presents a formidable challenge Friday in Basel, propelled by recruits from its Swiss diaspora. The Swiss team is captained by its all-time great Granit Xhaka, who shares family ties with Kosovo.
Watch on Italy and Israel Norway leads its group, tipped ahead of Israel and Italy. Norway hasn't seen World Cup action since before its star forward Erling Haaland was born. Haaland's consistent scoring in four straight wins since March keeps Norway on course.
Italy, notably absent from World Cup play since June 2014, hosts Estonia Friday and travels to face Israel in Hungary, neutral ground due to ongoing security concerns since the October 2023 Hamas attack. Norway commits to donating ticket profits from its October 11 match against Israel in Oslo to humanitarian efforts in Gaza. (AP) UNG
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