section_path: Confederation qualification/UEFA
section_name: UEFA
paragraph_text: UEFA
  
  The UEFA Executive Committee announced a new European qualification format on 25 January 2023. Teams will be drawn into twelve groups of four or five teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches from March to November 2025. The group winners will qualify for the World Cup, while the runners-up will participate in play-off matches, for a total of 16 teams qualifying for the finals.
  
  The qualification draw took place on 13 December 2024 in Zürich, Switzerland. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia's national team is currently suspended, and their exclusion was confirmed in a circular distributed by UEFA on 11 November 2024.
  
  The UEFA Executive Committee announced a new European qualification format on 25 January 2023. Teams will be drawn into twelve groups of four or five teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches from March to November 2025. The group winners will qualify for the World Cup, while the runners-up will participate in play-off matches, for a total of 16 teams qualifying for the finals.
  
  The qualification draw took place on 13 December 2024 in Zürich, Switzerland. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia's national team is currently suspended, and their exclusion was confirmed in a circular distributed by UEFA on 11 November 2024.