England meets Serbia: politically charged World Cup qualification!

England meets Serbia: politically charged World Cup qualification!

An exciting duel is imminent: England meets Serbia in the qualification for the FIFA World Championship 2026!

The football world is head! In the draw of the European qualification groups for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Zurich, a real Kracher duel was unveiled: England and Serbia, two nations with a moving history, will compete in the same group. The tension is tangible, because Albania will also be in this group, which could only increase the political tensions between the Balkans.

But that's not all! Many teams are still about their opponents because the draw has not yet been fully completed. Eight groups will remain unclear until the decision of the Nation's League quarter-finals in March. Here it will be shown who will get the last places in the groups!

A look at the groups

England, under the direction of the new coach Thomas Tuchel, will meet in Group K in Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra. The English national team already has a successful record against Serbia: At the last European Championship, they defeated the Balkan team 1-0 in their first group game and finally reached the final, which they lost to Spain.

The political tensions between Serbia and Albania should not be underestimated. This rivalry could lead to explosive encounters, especially since the two teams in the past already met on the pitch. Let us remember the Euro 2014 when a game between Serbia and Albania was canceled due to a scandal that was triggered by a provocative flag!

The UEFA has already imposed hard punishments against both nations in the past, after violent clashes and insulting chants of fans occurred. An incident that is remembered: A Kosovar journalist showed a symbol during a game that only heated up the tensions between Serbs and Albanians.

the qualification and the big dream

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be a historical tournament that will take place in the USA, Canada and Mexico. For the first time, 48 teams will fight for the title! Europe has 16 places, which increases the opportunities for many nations to qualify. The qualification games begin in March next year and will continue until November. The teams will compete against each other in return games, and the tension will rise up to the last minute!

The draw has already caused excitement, and football fans can hardly wait to see the games. Who will prevail? England or Serbia? The answer will keep the football world in suspense for the next few months!