England to be drawn in five-team World Cup qualifying group after securing Nations League promotion with Republic of Ireland thrashing

England will be drawn in a five-team World Cup qualifying group after securing Nations League promotion on Sunday.

The Three Lions secured promotion back to the top tier of the Nations League with a 5-0 romp over 10-man Ireland in interim manager Lee Carsley’s last game in charge at Wembley on Sunday.

After a turgid first half, Harry Kane’s penalty, Anthony Gordon’s volley and a tap-in by Conor Gallagher in the space of five minutes at the start of the second broke Ireland’s resolve.

Jarrod Bowen made it 4-0 with a crisp shot from the edge of the area, his first touch after coming off the bench, before debutant Taylor Harwood-Bellis headed England’s fifth.

Teams are to be drawn into 12 World Cup qualifying groups of four or five teams in Zurich on Friday December 13.

They will play each other home and away. Teams that are drawn in groups of five will start qualifying in March while the teams drawn in groups of four will begin their campaigns in September. The qualification process will conclude in November 2025.  

The winners of the 12 groups will qualify for the World Cup, with the 12 group runners-up joining the four best Nations League group winners in play-offs, with four teams progressing to the World Cup.

All eight Nations League quarter-finalists will be placed in Pot 1 of the World Cup draw, which will be completed by the four countries with the best FIFA world ranking. 

The 2026 World Cup starts on June 11, 2026 and will be held in USA, Canada and Mexico.

Ireland played virtually the whole of the second half at Wembley with 10 men after Liam Scales was sent off for a foul on Jude Bellingham that resulted in England’s penalty.

England finished top of Group B2 with 15 points from six games, the same as Greece.