World Cup 2022 qualifying: Full European fixture list, dates and schedule for the international break
England start against San Marino, Wales begin with a tough test against Belgium, Scotland meet Austria and Northern Ireland kick-off with a visit to Italy
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Your support makes all the difference.The road to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar starts here. The European qualifying campaign kicks off this week with a crammed slate of international fixtures that will see most countries, including England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, play three matches across seven days.
In the first international window since November last year, Gareth Southgate’s England side began their Group I campaign against minnows San Marino on Thursday, and face a trip to Albania on Sunday before welcoming Poland and Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski to Wembley next Wednesday.
Wales hosted Belgium in their first qualifying fixture of Group E, in a repeat of their famous Euro 2016 quarter-final matchup, and take on Czech Republic, either side of a friendly match against Mexico.
Scotland play Austria, Israel and Faroe Islands in Group F, while Northern Ireland start Group C with a testing visit to Italy before they play Bulgaria in Belfast next week.
Elsewhere in Europe, international heavyweights France, Germany and Spain will look to take advantage of favourable fixtures and kick off their respective groups with maximum points, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to make a return to the international stage, five years after retiring from Sweden duty, and would become the country’s oldest ever player if he plays in any of their upcoming games.
And with the rescheduled European Championships just around the corner, the 24 countries who have qualified for this summer’s tournament will be looking to get into shape and make the most of the last international window available for managers until June.
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Here is a rundown of all of the upcoming European World Cup qualifying fixtures, with kick-off times 19:45 GMT unless stated:
Saturday 27 March
Republic of Ireland vs. Luxembourg
Wales vs. Mexico (International Friendly; 20:00)
Serbia vs. Portugal
Czech Republic vs. Belgium
Netherlands vs. Latvia (17:00)
Norway vs. Turkey (17:00)
Belarus vs. Estonia (17:00)
Croatia vs. Cyprus (17:00)
Montenegro vs. Gibraltar (14:00)
Russia vs. Slovenia (14:00)
Slovakia vs. Malta
Sunday 28 March
Albania vs. England (17:00)
Israel vs. Scotland
Northern Ireland vs. USA (International Friendly; 17:05 )
Kazakhstan vs. France (14:00)
Georgia vs. Spain (17:00)
Bulgaria vs. Italy
Romania vs. Germany
Andorra vs. Iceland (17:00)
Denmark vs. Moldova (17:00)
Kosovo vs. Sweden
San Marino vs. Hungary
Ukraine vs. Finland
Austria vs. Faroe Islands
North Macedonia vs. Liechtenstein
Switzerland vs. Lithuania
Poland vs. Andorra
Tuesday 30 March
Wales vs. Czech Republic
Republic of Ireland vs. Qatar (International Friendly; 20:30)
Belgium vs. Belarus
Luxembourg vs. Portugal
Gibraltar vs. Netherlands
Azerbaijan vs. Russia (17:00)
Cyprus vs. Slovenia (17:00)
Turkey vs. Latvia
Slovakia vs. Russia
Montenegro vs. Norway
Croatia vs. Malta
Wednesday 31 March
England vs. Poland
Scotland vs. Faroe Islands
Northern Ireland vs. Bulgaria
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. France
Spain vs. Kosovo
Germany vs. North Macedonia
Lithuania vs. Italy
Austria vs. Denmark
Armenia vs. Romania (17:00)
Moldova vs. Israel
Greece vs. Georgia
Andorra vs. Hungary
San Marino vs. Albania
Ukraine vs. Kazakhstan
Liechtenstein vs. Iceland
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