The competition will feature staggered starting dates, with the four Nations League quarter-finals winners being drawn into four-team groups and starting the World Cup qualifiers in September 2025.
World Cup runners-up France will be in Group D with Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan if they defeat Croatia in the Nations League quarter-finals. In case of defeat, they will fall into Group L with Czech Republic, Montenegro and Gibraltar.
Euro 2024 champions Spain will have Turkey, Georgia and Bulgaria in Group E if they overcome the Netherlands in the Nations League. Otherwise, they will join five-team Group G with Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta.
Germany will be hoping to reach the Nations League final four for the first time and if they manage that, their World Cup qualifiers path will start in Group A with Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg.
The Germans face Italy in the Nations League quarter-finals and elimination at this stage will see the Euro 2024 hosts in Group I with Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova.
“Overall, we’re probably the favourites in both groups,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said, adding that Group A could be “a bit easier.”
“But we have to beat Italy first, that’s the next step,” he said.
England, who have no Nations League commitments as they already clinched promotion to League A, have been drawn against Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra.
“Qualification is top priority. We have to be serious. We have to be determined, and we have to show what we’re up for in this group of five,” coach Thomas Tuchel, who will take charge from January 1, 2025, told BBC Radio 5.
The Nations League quarter-finals will take place on March 20-23, 2025. The first matchday in the European zone qualifiers for the World Cup is scheduled for March 21-22, 2025.
The 12 group winners go to the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The other four will be determined in play-offs among the 12 group runners-up and four teams from the Nations League.
