# 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group A

**UEFA Group A** was one of twelve groups in the European Qualifiers for the 2026 [FIFA World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-world-cup), contested by Germany, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, and [Luxembourg](https://www.edgepedia.org/luxembourg) between September and November 2025. Germany won the group and qualified directly for the finals; Slovakia finished second and entered the play-offs, while [Northern Ireland](https://www.edgepedia.org/northern-ireland) and Luxembourg were eliminated from direct contention.

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Teams | Germany, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg<sup>[1](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c8f696e7f73-d6d9e51ea55e-1000--2026-world-cup-european-qualifiers-draw/)</sup> |
| Draw | Made in Zurich on 13 December 2024; Germany's slot was reserved for the winner of the UEFA Nations League quarter-final between Germany and Italy<sup>[1](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c8f696e7f73-d6d9e51ea55e-1000--2026-world-cup-european-qualifiers-draw/)</sup> |
| Match window | Groups of four began in September 2025; all groups concluded in November 2025<sup>[1](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c8f696e7f73-d6d9e51ea55e-1000--2026-world-cup-european-qualifiers-draw/)</sup> |
| Winner | Germany, 15 points from 6 matches (5 wins, 1 defeat, 16 goals for, 3 against)<sup>[2](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2044341/)</sup> |
| Decisive match | Germany 6-0 Slovakia, Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, 17 November 2025<sup>[2](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2044341/)</sup> |
| Runners-up | Slovakia (12 points) entered the play-offs and lost their semi-final 3-4 to Kosovo<sup>[2](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2044341/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c916a81655d-47c1bac26fb9-1000--european-qualifiers-for-2026-world-cup-all-the-results/)</sup> |
| Outcome at the finals | Germany was eliminated in the group stage; Czechia, the play-off path D winner, joined Group A of the tournament proper<sup>[3](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c916a81655d-47c1bac26fb9-1000--european-qualifiers-for-2026-world-cup-all-the-results/)</sup> |

## Format and draw

UEFA's qualification format for the 2026 World Cup sent the 12 group winners directly to the finals, with the 12 runners-up joined by the four best-ranked group winners of the 2024/25 [UEFA Nations League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-nations-league) that did not finish their qualifying group in first or second place in a 16-team play-off.<sup>[1](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c8f696e7f73-d6d9e51ea55e-1000--2026-world-cup-european-qualifiers-draw/)</sup> The draw, held in Zurich on 13 December 2024, placed [Group A](https://www.edgepedia.org/group-a) as a four-team group whose first slot depended on the Nations League quarter-final between Germany and Italy; Germany won that tie, so the group comprised Germany, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, and Luxembourg.<sup>[1](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c8f696e7f73-d6d9e51ea55e-1000--2026-world-cup-european-qualifiers-draw/)</sup> Four-team groups began their campaigns in September 2025, playing home-and-away round-robin fixtures, and all groups concluded in November 2025.<sup>[1](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c8f696e7f73-d6d9e51ea55e-1000--2026-world-cup-european-qualifiers-draw/)</sup>

## Group campaign

**Slovakia's early blow.** On 4 September 2025, in the opening round of Group A fixtures, Slovakia beat Germany 2-0 in [Bratislava](https://www.edgepedia.org/bratislava), leaving Germany bottom of the group after Matchday 1.<sup>[3](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c916a81655d-47c1bac26fb9-1000--european-qualifiers-for-2026-world-cup-all-the-results/)</sup> Germany recovered through the autumn: a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland on 7 September, a 4-0 win over Luxembourg in Sinsheim on 10 October in which captain [Joshua Kimmich](https://www.edgepedia.org/joshua-kimmich) scored twice, and a narrow 1-0 win in Belfast on 13 October thanks to Nick Woltemade's first senior international goal.<sup>[4](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/029e-1eeba1581bf0-f1ad83579d94-1000--european-qualifiers-for-the-2026-world-cup-england-first/)</sup> Germany, Slovakia, and Northern Ireland were all level on six points in an unusually close group.<sup>[4](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/029e-1eeba1581bf0-f1ad83579d94-1000--european-qualifiers-for-the-2026-world-cup-england-first/)</sup>

The November window settled the group. Slovakia beat Northern Ireland 1-0 on 14 November, and Germany won 2-0 in Luxembourg the same evening.<sup>[3](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c916a81655d-47c1bac26fb9-1000--european-qualifiers-for-2026-world-cup-all-the-results/)</sup> On the final matchday, 17 November 2025, Germany needed only a draw against Slovakia at home but won 6-0 in Leipzig, with Ridle Baku and Assan Ouedraogo, on his senior debut, among the scorers.<sup>[2](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2044341/)</sup> Northern Ireland beat Luxembourg 1-0 in the other fixture.<sup>[3](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c916a81655d-47c1bac26fb9-1000--european-qualifiers-for-2026-world-cup-all-the-results/)</sup>

## Final table

| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 13 | 15 |
| 2 | Slovakia | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 8 | -2 | 12 |
| 3 | Northern Ireland | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 9 |
| 4 | Luxembourg | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 13 | -12 | 0 |

Source: UEFA match center for the group.<sup>[2](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2044341/)</sup>

## Aftermath

Germany's top spot sealed a place at a 19th consecutive World Cup, secured with the 6-0 victory over Slovakia on 17 November 2025.<sup>[5](https://-www-fifa.com/en/articles/world-cup-2026-who-has-qualified)</sup> Slovakia, as runners-up, went into the March 2026 play-offs, where they lost 3-4 to Kosovo in their semi-final.<sup>[3](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c916a81655d-47c1bac26fb9-1000--european-qualifiers-for-2026-world-cup-all-the-results/)</sup> Northern Ireland, having finished third, entered through the Nations League route and lost their play-off semi-final 2-0 to Italy.<sup>[3](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c916a81655d-47c1bac26fb9-1000--european-qualifiers-for-2026-world-cup-all-the-results/)</sup> Luxembourg finished with no points and could not qualify.<sup>[6](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/029e-1f013217866b-d8219a391b00-1000--world-cup-2026-who-has-qualified-from-europe-who-is-in-the-p/)</sup>

At the finals, held from 11 June to 19 July 2026 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, Germany was drawn into Group E of the tournament, where it was eliminated in the group stage after a 2-1 defeat to Ecuador.<sup>[7](https://apnews.com/article/a76afaec09bf5ff96e216265c2e18bc1)</sup> The Group A slot reserved for the play-off path D winner went to Czechia, who beat Denmark on penalties in the path final and joined Mexico, South Africa, and South Korea in the tournament's Group A.<sup>[3](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c916a81655d-47c1bac26fb9-1000--european-qualifiers-for-2026-world-cup-all-the-results/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://www.myfootballfacts.com/world-football/fifa/world-cup/fifa-world-cup-by-year/2026-world-cup/fifa-world-cup-2026-group-a-squads/)</sup>

## References

1. [2026 World Cup European Qualifiers draw, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c8f696e7f73-d6d9e51ea55e-1000--2026-world-cup-european-qualifiers-draw/)
2. [Germany-Slovakia, European Qualifiers 2026, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2044341/)
3. [European Qualifiers for 2026 World Cup: All the results, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/0294-1c916a81655d-47c1bac26fb9-1000--european-qualifiers-for-2026-world-cup-all-the-results/)
4. [European Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup highlights: England first to qualify, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/029e-1eeba1581bf0-f1ad83579d94-1000--european-qualifiers-for-the-2026-world-cup-england-first/)
5. [Qualified teams for the FIFA World Cup 26, FIFA.com](https://-www-fifa.com/en/articles/world-cup-2026-who-has-qualified)
6. [World Cup 2026: Who has qualified from Europe, who is in the play-offs?, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/029e-1f013217866b-d8219a391b00-1000--world-cup-2026-who-has-qualified-from-europe-who-is-in-the-p/)
7. [Ecuador advances to World Cup knockout rounds, beats Germany 2-1, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/a76afaec09bf5ff96e216265c2e18bc1)
8. [FIFA World Cup 2026: Group A Squads, My Football Facts](https://www.myfootballfacts.com/world-football/fifa/world-cup/fifa-world-cup-by-year/2026-world-cup/fifa-world-cup-2026-group-a-squads/)

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*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*

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