UEFA Kicks Off Autumn Phase of 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

UEFA's road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup resumes today as the autumn phase of the European qualifying campaign officially gets underway. The race to secure a ticket to North America intensifies, with all groups now in action.

Earlier in the year, only the five-team groups had begun their campaigns. Now, the remaining four-team groups join the fray. The first match of this international window sees Kazakhstan take on Wales—kick-off set for 16:00 CET.

A total of eight matches are scheduled for today, with five of them kicking off at 20:45 CET, setting the stage for a packed evening of international football across the continent.

All eyes will be on Ukraine tomorrow as they begin their autumn campaign with a huge clash against France, the top-ranked team in Group C. The match will be played at the Tarczyński Arena in Wrocław, Poland—Ukraine’s nominal home venue during this qualifying cycle due to the ongoing conflict back home.

Later in the window, Ukraine will head to Baku to face Azerbaijan on Tuesday, 9 September, in another crucial fixture that could shape the group’s standings.