The China Mail - Who can qualify for 2026 World Cup in next round of European qualifiers

Here, AFP Sport takes a look at which teams can book a place at the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico with a match to spare:

Group A

(Germany, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg)

-- No team can qualify in the next round of fixtures. Luxembourg are already out of contention for the top two places that either give direct qualification for first place or a place in a playoff for second place.

Group B

(Switzerland, Kosovo, Slovenia, Sweden)

-- Switzerland will qualify for a sixth successive World Cup finals with victory over struggling Sweden on Saturday if Kosovo fail to beat Slovenia.

The Swiss will also qualify with a draw if Kosovo lose.

Group C

(Denmark, Scotland, Greece, Belarus)

-- No team can qualify in the next round of fixtures. Denmark and Scotland are already confirmed as the top two.

Group D

(France, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan)

-- Two-time World Cup winners France will qualify for the 2026 finals with victory over Ukraine on Thursday.

Group E

(Spain, Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria)

-- European champions Spain will qualify if they see off Georgia on Saturday and Turkey fail to win against already-eliminated Bulgaria.

Spain, World Cup winners in 2010, will also wrap up top spot with a draw if Turkey suffer a shock defeat.

Group F

(Portugal, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Armenia)

-- Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo will secure their ticket to the finals with a win over Ireland on Thursday, or with a draw if Hungary fail to beat Armenia.

Group G

(Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Malta)

-- The Netherlands will qualify with a win over Poland on Friday. Lithuania and Malta are already unable to finish in the top two.

Group H

(Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Cyprus, San Marino)

-- Austria will confirm first place if they beat Cyprus on Saturday and Bosnia and Herzegovina do not win against Romania.

Group I

(Norway, Italy, Israel, Estonia, Moldova)

-- Norway will reach their first World Cup since 1998 with a win over Estonia if Italy do not beat Moldova on Thursday.

A victory over the Estonians would all but secure a place for Norway, though, due to their far superior goal difference over four-time world champions Italy.

Group J

(Belgium, North Macedonia, Wales, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein)

-- Belgium will qualify if they win in Kazakhstan on Saturday, leaving North Macedonia and Wales to fight for second place.

Group K

(England, Albania, Serbia, Latvia, Andorra)

-- England have already qualified.

Albania can secure a play-off place if they beat Andorra and Serbia lose to England.

Group L

(Croatia, Czech Republic, Faroe Islands, Montenegro, Gibraltar)

-- Croatia will seal top spot if the beaten finalists in 2018 avoid a shock home defeat by the Faroe Islands on Friday.

The third-placed Faroes will be out of top-two contention with a loss.

J.Thompson--ThChM