Can Julian Nagelsmann guarantee qualification for the World Cup? - Nagelmann Secures a Spot in the FIFA World Cup
Germany Kicks Off 2026 World Cup Qualifiers Against Slovakia
Germany's journey towards the 2026 World Cup begins in earnest as they prepare for the qualifying campaign. The qualifying campaign commences with an away game against Slovakia in Bratislava on Thursday.
The national team has been drawn into a group with Slovakia, Northern Ireland, and Luxembourg. Germany will also face Ivory Coast and Finland, with the latter being friendly or preparatory opponents in 2026 before the World Cup.
The first home game will be against Northern Ireland in Cologne on Sunday. All six games on the way to America will be broadcast on free TV, with ARD, ZDF, and RTL sharing the broadcasts. Kick-off for all six games is always at 20:45.
ARD will kick off the first game on Thursday, with RTL covering Sunday's game. If Germany wins all six qualifying games, they may be seeded in the top pot for the draw.
Julian Nagelsmann, the coach, considers his team the favorite in the qualifying group. Nagelsmann has been vocal about the potential of the team, and the name Nnamdi Collins from Eintracht Frankfurt has been mentioned frequently. Nagelsmann did not spare praise for the 21-year-old defender.
If Germany doesn't finish first in their group, they will still have a chance to qualify via the Nations League playoffs. The coach will announce his World Cup squad around the last Bundesliga matchday (May 16).
In the World Cup year, Nagelsmann will have two test matches in late March, provided that the direct ticket is secured. There will likely be two more test matches in the immediate run-up to the tournament, details of which will be announced after the draw.
The US President, Donald Trump, will announce the World Cup draw on December 5 (6:00 PM CET) in Washington. If Germany ends up in the second pot, they could face an early World Cup match against a top team like Argentina, Spain, or France.
The group A decider will take place on November 14 in Luxembourg and on November 17 in Leipzig against Slovakia. Europe is allowed to send 16 teams to the World Cup finals in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. A total of 48 teams will participate in the World Cup finals.
The qualifying campaign begins with an away game against Slovakia in Bratislava on Thursday. Let's hope Germany starts their World Cup journey with a victory!
