ZURICH: Thomas Tuchel’s first official duty as England coach on Friday was to see his new team drawn in a 2026 World Cup qualifying group with Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra.
Tuchel starts work in January as the first German coach of the 1966 World Cup winner but was at FIFA headquarters to see the 54 European teams drawn into 12 qualifying groups. Games start in March for some groups, while others will begin in June or September.
“It’s a difficult group, is my first impression,” said Tuchel, who must wait for FIFA to approve the fixture list to see if his England debut will be a qualifying game in March or a warm-up friendly.
Europe will send 16 teams to the first 48-team World Cup, being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 12 group winners next November advance directly and runners-up go to a playoff in March 2026, joined by four more teams who won a Nations League group last month.
England are one of the few top-seeded teams to already know their qualifying opponents. Most groups are still incomplete as eight top-seeded teams will be placed based on the results of their Nations League quarterfinals in March.
The winner of the quarterfinal between European champion Spain and the Netherlands faces a tough Group E with Turkiye, Georgia and Bulgaria.
Spain ended Georgia’s impressive run at their first major tournament, winning 4-1 in the round of 16 at Euro 2024 in Germany.
Georgia coach Willy Sagnol acknowledged “it will be a difficult group,” with Turkiye having lost a Euro 2024 quarterfinal to the Netherlands.
The loser between Spain and the Netherlands be in a five-team group with Poland, Finland, Lithuania and Malta that shapes to be less challenging.
The winner between France and Croatia in March will head Group D with Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan. The loser of that Nations League quarterfinal will be in the five-team Group L with the Czech Republic, Montenegro, Faeroe Islands and Gibraltar.
For Germany and Italy, the group draw could be an added incentive to win their Nations League meeting and land in Group A.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann acknowledged it would be “a bit easier” to play in a four-team group with Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg. The loser will face Erling Haaland and Norway in a five-team group that also includes, Israel, Estonia and Moldova. Israel have been unable to host games for security reasons since the Hamas attacks in October last year, and likely will continue playing home games in Hungary.
Russia were excluded from Friday’s draw because their teams are banned from international competitions by FIFA and UEFA since the military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia’s military ally Belarus, which will play in a group with either Portugal or Denmark, plus Greece and Scotland, have been forced to host games in neutral countries because of the war.
One security challenge could arise in England’s group, with Serbia set to host Albania for the first time since the famous “drone game” in 2014 between the Balkan near-neighbors.
A decade ago, the game in Belgrade abandoned after a fan outside the stadium flew a drone over the field with an Albanian nationalist banner, leading to clashes between players and a field invasion by Serbian fans. UEFA awarded Serbia a win by default that was overturned on appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, ultimately sending Albania to their tournament debut at Euro 2016.
Soccer relations between Serbia and Albania — at federation level, if not among ultras fan groups — are much improved and they are set to be confirmed Monday as co-hosts of the Under-21 Euros in 2027.
England and new coach Tuchel land in 2026 World Cup qualifying group with Serbia and Albania
https://arab.news/z4g5v
England and new coach Tuchel land in 2026 World Cup qualifying group with Serbia and Albania
- “It’s a difficult group, is my first impression,” said Tuchel
- Europe will send 16 teams to the first 48-team World Cup, being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico
Barca suffer title defense blow in Girona derby defeat
- Girona ended the game with 10 men when Roca scythed down Yamal to cut short a desperate Barca attack deep in stoppage time
GIRONA, Spain: Spanish champions Barcelona fell to a damaging 2-1 defeat at Girona on Monday to leave them trailing Real Madrid by two points at the top of La Liga.
Los Blancos beat Real Sociedad on Saturday to overtake the Catalans and Hansi Flick’s side could not defeat Girona in an gripping derby clash to reclaim the lead.
Teenage star Lamine Yamal missed a penalty for Barcelona, who took the lead through defender Pau Cubarsi just before the hour mark.
However goals from Thomas Lemar and Fran Beltran helped Girona, 12th, mount an impressive comeback.
“We have to improve because they can’t score these two goals against us,” Cubarsi told DAZN.
“We have to be self-critical, we didn’t play a great game, we have to improve, but now we have to rest and charge our batteries.”
Both sides were attacking with abandon in the first half and it was remarkable they went in goalless at the break.
Raphinha whipped a shot narrowly wide and Yamal fired straight at Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga when through on goal.
At the other end Ukrainian striker Vladyslav Vanat missed a slew of presentable opportunities.
Ferran Torres fired a good chance wide for Barca and Raphinha drove against the upright as Flick’s side pushed for the opener.
They should have got it when Dani Olmo was clumsily felled in the box by Daley Blind, but Yamal hit the post from the spot.
Barcelona eventually took the lead through Pau Cubarsi’s header from Jules Kounde’s cross after 59 minutes, but Girona swiftly pulled level.
Thomas Lemar slipped away from Eric Garcia and turned home Vanat’s pass from close range.
It shifted the momentum in Girona’s favor and Barca were left relying on some stunning saves from goalkeeper Joan Garcia to keep them afloat.
The stopper denied Ivan Martin and Vanat with a remarkable double save, and then thwarted Joel Roca with his leg.
Barca could not stem the tide and Girona forced their way in front after 87 minutes, with Fran Beltran stroking home from the edge of the area.
The visitors, who last week made an official complaint to the Spanish football federation over perceived refereeing inconsistencies, were left fuming after Kounde was fouled by Claudio Echeverri in the build-up and it went unpunished.
Girona ended the game with 10 men when Roca scythed down Yamal to cut short a desperate Barca attack deep in stoppage time.
It did the job and the hosts celebrated wildly at the end with their jubilant fans at Montilivi, as Flick demanded explanations from the referee.
“It seemed like a foul (on Kounde) to me, but we shouldn’t focus on decisions we can’t control,” said Barca defender Gerard Martin.
