England moved a step nearer to sealing World Cup qualification as they maintained their 100-per-cent successful document in qualifying with a 5-0 win against Serbia in Belgrade.
After also beating Andorra 2-0, Thomas Tuchel’s aspect now have 5 wins from 5 in Group Ok, scoring 13 objectives and conceding none. They sit prime of the group with a seven-point benefit over second-placed Albania.
All of it means England are on the verge of qualification, however when can the Three Lions really seal their place at subsequent summer season’s match?
England want two extra wins to ensure their place on the World Cup.
Rob Dorsett explains how England may affirm their place within the 2026 World Cup throughout the subsequent worldwide break.
Nevertheless, they might seal qualification as early as subsequent month regardless of having only one qualifier away at Latvia on October 14.
With Serbia vs Albania three days earlier than England journey to Latvia, if Serbia fail to win and England decide up all three factors in Riga, qualification can be secured. Ought to Serbia win however then drop factors in Andorra three days later, then victory for England over Latvia would even be sufficient them to qualify with two video games to spare.
Scroll down for the Three Lions’ full fixture checklist for European qualifying, in addition to all you must learn about how qualification works.
World Cup 2026 European qualifiers schedule
Group-stage match dates: March 21-25, June 6-10, September 4-9, October 9-14 and November 13-18, 2025
Play-off match dates: March 26-31 2026
Last match dates: June 11 to July 19 2026
England’s World Cup qualifying group
Group Ok: England, Serbia, Albania, Latvia, Andorra
World Cup qualifiers – England’s full fixture checklist and schedule
Matches kick off at 7.45pm until said – all occasions GMT
Matchday 1
Friday March 21: England 2-0 Albania
Matchday 2
Monday March 24: England 3-0 Latvia
Matchday 3
Saturday June 7: Andorra 0-1 England
Matchday 5
Saturday September 6: England 2-0 Andorra
Matchday 6
Tuesday September 9: Serbia 0-5 England
Matchday 8
Tuesday October 14: Latvia vs England
Matchday 9
Thursday November 13: England vs Serbia
Matchday 10
Sunday November 16: Albania vs England – kick-off 5pm
What number of European groups qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
In complete, 16 UEFA nations will qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The 12 group winners qualify immediately for the World Cup; the 4 remaining berths are decided by play-offs involving the 12 group runners-up.
How do play-offs for the 2026 World Cup work?
The 12 group runners-up will take part within the play-offs, together with the 4 best-ranked group winners of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League that didn’t end their European Qualifiers group stage in first or second place.
The 16 groups who enter the play-offs shall be drawn into 4 play-off paths, with 4 groups in every. Play-off matches shall be performed in single-leg semi-finals adopted by single-leg finals inside the identical worldwide window in March 2026.
When and the place is the 2026 World Cup?
The 2026 FIFA males’s World Cup takes place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
The match will happen throughout 16 cities in three North American nations: the United States, Canada and Mexico. It’s the first time a World Cup has been hosted by three nations.
The final time North America hosted the match was in 1994, when Brazil triumphed after beating Italy on penalties.
An expanded World Cup will function 48 groups – 16 greater than in Qatar 2022 – and happen throughout three host nations for the primary time.
World Cup 2026 schedule
Group stage: June 11-27 Spherical of 32: June 28 to July 3 Spherical of 16: July 4-7 Quarter-finals: July 11th of September Semi-finals: July 14-15 Third-place play-off (‘Bronze ultimate’): July 18 Last: July 19
