Almost everything is clear. During the draw in Zurich, Poland's national football team learned their opponents for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The biggest challenge for Michał Probierz's squad will be competing against either Spain or the Netherlands. Which of these teams the White and Reds will face will be determined in the spring.
In the UEFA zone, 54 teams are competing, divided into 12 groups - six with four teams each (Groups A-F) and six with five teams each (Groups G-L).
Before the draw, the teams were traditionally seeded into pots based on FIFA rankings and results in the top division of the Nations League. Due to Poland's recent relegation to the second tier of the Nations League, the team was placed in the second pot, making it almost certain they would be drawn into a five-team group.
For some groups, alternative configurations have been proposed. The final group compositions will be determined after the spring quarterfinals of the Nations League, which will decide the ultimate group setups.
This arrangement directly affects Poland, as their opponent from the first pot will be the loser of the Nations League quarterfinal clash between Spain and the Netherlands. Regardless of the outcome, the challenge will be formidable. The matches will take place on March 20 and 23, after which the final group composition will be clear.
Group G, which Poland is part of, has been completed with Finland, Lithuania, and Malta.
2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: UEFA Zone
Group A: Winner of Germany - Italy, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg.
Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo.
Group C: Loser of Portugal - Denmark, Greece, Scotland, Belarus.
Group D: Winner of France - Croatia, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan.
Group E: Winner of Spain - Netherlands, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria.
Group F: Winner of Portugal - Denmark, Hungary, Ireland, Armenia.
Group G: Loser of Spain - Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta.
Group H: Austria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, San Marino. Group I: Loser of Germany - Italy, Norway, Israel, Estonia, Moldova.
Group J: Belgium, Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein.
Group L: Loser of France - Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar.
Recent games with group opponents
The favorites in the match between Spain and the Netherlands will certainly be the current European champions. Poland have only faced them once in recent years, earning a point in the Euro 2021 group (1:1).
The Polish team have played against the Netherlands more frequently in recent years, and those were painful experiences. In 2020, in the Nations League, Poland lost 0:1 away and 1:2 at home, and in 2022, they managed a 2:2 draw away, but in Poland, the White and Reds again lost 1:2.
The remaining matches should be easier. Finland, although getting stronger, has been a relatively easy opponent for Poland in recent friendlies. The last two games ended in decisive wins: 5:1 in 2020 and 5:0 in 2016.
Lithuania is also an opponent Poland has regularly faced in friendlies and has secured confident victories against.
Malta should be a provider of points, but it remains a bit of an unknown. The last match between Poland and Malta was played in 2003, ending with the White and Reds winning 4:0.
World Cup in a new format
The winners of the 12 groups will qualify for the World Cup. Four more places will be up for grabs in the playoffs, with the second-placed teams from each group and the four best teams from the final Nations League rankings (who did not finish the group stage of the European qualifiers in the top two positions) competing for those spots.
The qualification process will begin in March and end in November of next year. The playoffs are scheduled for March 2026.
The World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. For the first time in history, 48 national teams will participate in the tournament.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Eurosport
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: Getty Images