This is how it continues: Germany’s path to the 2026 World Cup

As of: October 14, 2025 1:26 p.m

The German national soccer team wants to take the final steps towards the 2026 World Cup after the victory in Northern Ireland (1-0) in November. This is what the further timetable looks like until the tournament.

The initial situation

With two wins in the qualifying games in October 2025 against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland, national coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team has regained a good starting position. After four of six games, the DFB team leads the Group A table with nine points. Directly behind them is Slovakia, level on points, ahead of Northern Ireland with six points.

This is how it continues in the qualification

First, the team has an away game in Luxembourg on November 14th, 2025, then a possible “final” against Slovakia in Leipzig on November 17th, 2025. If both games are won, Germany will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup.

However, it is also possible that two or even three teams will have the same number of points after the final sixth matchday. In this case, the goal difference from all games is decisive first. If this is identical, the goals scored are the focus. Only then would the direct comparison or, in the case of three teams, the three-way comparison decide.

If Germany loses the group win, the team will have missed out on direct World Cup qualification. Then it would go to the playoff tournament, in which 16 teams play for the remaining four places.

It doesn’t matter whether you end up in second, third or fourth place if you miss out on winning the group. As a top 4 nation in the Nations League, the team would automatically qualify for the playoffs.

The draw

The draw for the twelve preliminary round groups will take place on December 5, 2025 John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts drawn in Washington DC. There will still be several wild cards open in the draw, as the European qualifying playoffs and the intercontinental playoff tournament will not take place until March. The FIFA world rankings will be relevant for the draw.

Germany now has a good chance of ending up in pot one in the draw and thus facing supposedly easier opponents in the group phase. On the last two match days before the draw, a long-distance duel between Germany and Croatia is looming.

The other international matches

Two more test matches have already been scheduled to prepare for the World Cup. On March 30, 2026, Germany will meet Ivory Coast in Stuttgart – unless the World Cup qualifying playoffs, which take place between March 23 and 31, intervene. There will be a second test against Finland in Mainz on May 31st. The DFB will announce further test games.

The timetable at a glance