The 2026 World Cup is coming sharply into focus, but there’s still the small matter of the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Last Friday’s draw pitted Scotland against five-time winners Brazil and 2022 semi-finalists Morocco. Thankfully, they’ll also have Haiti to pummel.
It’s a tall task, but there’s no reason the Scots can’t hammer Haiti and target a draw against Morocco. If Brazil cleans up, that may be enough for second.
Elsewhere, England were handed a relatively straightforward group with Croatia, Ghana, and Panama standing between them and the knockout rounds.
England fans may remember beating the North American qualifiers 6-1 in 2018 en route to a semi-final clash with Croatia.
But before we board the plane to the good old US of A, there’s the small matter of eight play-off fixtures.
The Republic of Ireland meet Czechia, Northern Ireland face a tough trip to Italy, and Wales get to enjoy home comforts against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
How will the European World Cup qualifiers play out?
The World Cup playoffs are a simple two-game gauntlet. Twelve teams drop into three paths, each with a semi-final and a final, and anyone who strings together back-to-back wins punches their ticket to 2026.
For the home nations still in the mix, Wales look the best equipped to handle it. A seeded place means a semi-final in Cardiff, but they could meet Italy in the final.
They remain organised, disciplined, and hard to break down, and a charged Welsh crowd has flipped these nights before. The Welsh are priced at 21/20 to win in 90 minutes and 4/7 to qualify.
Ireland will hope to have the chance to lean on similar strengths. Dublin suits them, and their structure should keep playoff ties tight. It doesn’t hurt that they’ve figured out how to score in bunches, either.
But they’ll need to win in Czechia if they’re to set up a showdown with either Denmark or North Macedonia. They’re 13/5 to win in 90 minutes, though 1/1 to win or draw holds early appeal.
Last but not least, Northern Ireland face the unenviable task of beating Italy if they wish to set up a final tie with, well, probably Wales. They’re quite rightly priced at 8/1, but stranger things have happened. They can defend well, and Italy can be wasteful.
Can England win the World Cup in 2026?
England have landed a group they should boss from day one. Croatia are awkward opponents on paper, but England are still 4/7 to win the opener.
They’re also 2/7 to finish top, which tells you everything about the expectation around this squad. Ghana and Panama round out a section Thomas Tuchel will expect to control without burning too much energy.
The wider picture is even more interesting. England sit at 11/2 to win the whole thing, which places them just behind Spain at 9/2, yet slightly ahead of both Brazil and France.
That’s a notable shift for a nation used to chasing the favourites rather than leading them. The market sees a side in its peak window, with Bellingham, Saka, Foden and Rice all hitting their primes at the same time, and Harry Kane still priced at 7/1 for the Golden Boot, second only to Mbappe.
On the other hand, centre-back depth is thin, the left side still looks patched together, and England can drift through long spells without tempo against top opposition.
But they win a huge percentage of competitive games, handle group stages well, and rarely crack under pressure these days. If they top the group as expected, they’ll get a clean run into the knockouts.
Image: Ben Sutherland, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
How far can Scotland go at the 2026 World Cup?
Scotland’s draw raised a few eyebrows, but it shouldn’t dent their confidence. Brazil are Brazil, Morocco are a proven tournament side, and Haiti are the group’s obvious weak link.
The Scots are priced at a healthy 250/1 if anyone of a tartan persuasion fancies betting with their head over their head. Odds about 19/50 to win their opener against Haiti is a gimme. Over 2.5 goals at 4/5 is overestimating the Caribbean side’s defensive ability.
The path is straightforward enough: take care of Haiti, stay competitive against Morocco, and let Brazil do the heavy lifting. Four points has carried teams through before, and Scotland are built to grind exactly those kinds of results.
Their strength is their structure. Under Steve Clarke, Scotland rarely get blown away, and they don’t give opponents many chaotic minutes. McGinn, McTominay and Gilmour anchor a midfield that works harder than most.
McTominay’s rise in Naples, in particular, means they also have a touch of match-winning quality that has proven valuable across the past two years.
Progression depends on whether they can turn one of those tight matches into something tangible. A draw against Morocco is well within their range, and Haiti should be dispatched if Scotland show even half the intensity that carried them through qualifying.
They’re actually priced at 2/7 to escape the group, which is partially down to the potential for a lopsided result against Haiti that could tip third-place qualifying in their favour.
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