European teams will take their first steps on the road to the 2026 World Cup during the March international break - with UEFA qualifying under way for next summer's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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An expansion to 48 teams means more places are available than ever before, which the home nations and the Republic of Ireland will be hoping to take full advantage of. Finishing top in one of the 12 qualifying groups will secure automatic qualification, while second place is enough to reach the play-offs.

England's new head coach Thomas Tuchel has been tasked with winning the World Cup but the first priority is to make sure his side get there. They're the heavy favourites to progress from Group K, having been drawn alongside Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra.

Wales are gunning to reach back-to-back World Cups and after the impressive start to Craig Bellamy's tenure, there is belief that they can progress from Group J, which also includes Belgium, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein.

Having been drawn in the four-team groups, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will have to wait until the autumn to get their qualifying campaigns going - with the full line-ups of their respective groups not yet confirmed.

RadioTimes.com brings you the complete 2026 World Cup qualifiers TV schedule, including every home nations game you can watch live in the UK.

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2026 World Cup qualifiers schedule

All UK time. Subject to change. Home nations + Republic of Ireland games only.

Matchday 1

Friday 21st March

  • Group K: England v Albania (7:45pm) ITV 1

Saturday 22nd March

  • Group J: Wales v Kazakhstan (7:45pm) BBC One Wales/S4C

Matchday 2

Monday 24th March

  • Group K: England v Latvia (7:45pm) ITV 1

Tuesday 25th March

  • Group J: North Macedonia v Wales (7:45pm) BBC One Wales/S4C

Matchday 3

Friday 6th June

  • Group J: Wales v Liechtenstein (7:45pm) BBC One Wales/S4C

Saturday 7th June

  • Group K: Andorra v England (5pm) ITV 1

Matchday 4

Monday 9th June

  • Group J: Belgium v Wales (7:45pm) BBC One Wales/S4C

Matchday 5

Thursday 4th September

  • Group A: Luxembourg v Northern Ireland (7:45pm) BBC One Northern Ireland
  • Group J: Kazakhstan v Wales (3pm) BBC One Wales/S4C

Friday 5th September

  • Group C: TBC v Scotland (7:45pm) BBC One Scotland

Saturday 6th September

  • Group F: Republic of Ireland v Hungary (7:45pm) TBC
  • Group K: England v Andorra (5pm) ITV 1

Matchday 6

Sunday 7th September

  • Group A: TBC v Northern Ireland (7:45pm) BBC One Northern Ireland

Monday 8th September

  • Group C: Belarus v Scotland (7:45pm) BBC One Scotland

Tuesday 9th September

  • Group F: Armenia v Republic of Ireland (5pm) TBC
  • Group K: Serbia v England (7:45pm) ITV 1

Matchday 7

Thursday 9th October

  • Group C: Scotland v Greece (7:45pm) BBC One Scotland

Friday 10th October

  • Group A: Northern Ireland v Slovakia (7:45pm) BBC One Northern Ireland

Saturday 11th October

  • Group F: TBC v Republic of Ireland (7:45pm) TBC

Matchday 8

Sunday 12th October

  • Group C: Scotland v Belarus (5pm) BBC One Scotland

Monday 13th October

  • Group A: Northern Ireland v TBC (7:45pm) BBC One Northern Ireland
  • Group J: Wales v Belgium (7:45pm) BBC One Wales/S4C

Tuesday 14th October

  • Group F: Republic of Ireland v Armenia (7:45pm) TBC
  • Group K: Latvia v England (7:45pm) ITV

Matchday 9

Thursday 13th November

  • Group F: Republic of Ireland v TBC (7:45pm) TBC
  • Group K: England v Serbia (7:45pm) ITV

Friday 14th November

  • Group A: Slovakia v Northern Ireland (7:45pm) BBC One Northern Ireland

Saturday 15th November

  • Group J: Liechtenstein v Wales (5pm) BBC One Wales/S4C
  • Group C: Greece v Scotland (7:45pm) BBC One Scotland

Matchday 10

Sunday 16th November

  • Group F: Hungary v Republic of Ireland (2pm) TBC
  • Group K: Albania v England (5pm) ITV

Monday 17th November

  • Group A: Northern Ireland v Luxembourg (7:45pm) BBC One Northern Ireland

Tuesday 18th November

  • Group C: Scotland v TBC (7:45pm) BBC One Scotland
  • Group J: Wales v North Macedonia (7:45pm) BBC One Wales/S4C

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2026 World Cup qualifiers TV rights

England matches will be shown live on ITV until 2027. This includes World Cup qualifiers, Nations League and friendly matches.

Welsh-language channel S4C and BBC iPlayer have Wales covered while Scotland and Northern Ireland games will be broadcast on BBC One Scotland and BBC One Northern Ireland, with streams also available on BBC iPlayer.

The UK broadcaster for Republic of Ireland's games has not yet been confirmed but their Nations League play-offs this month are on Amazon Prime Pay-Per-View.

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Authors

Ned Holmes
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