2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group L

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group L was one of the twelve UEFA groups in the World Cup qualification tournament to decide which teams would qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States. [1] Group L consisted of five teams: Croatia, the Czech Republic, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar and Montenegro. The teams played against each other home-and-away in a round-robin format from March to November 2025. However, as Croatia were involved in the Nations League A quarter-finals in March, they began their qualifying campaign in June 2025.

Contents

The group winners, Croatia, qualified directly for the World Cup finals, while the runners-up, the Czech Republic, advanced to the second round (play-offs).

Standings

PosTeam
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification Flag of Croatia.svg Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg Flag of Montenegro.svg Flag of Gibraltar.svg
1Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia 8710264+2222Qualification for 2026 FIFA World Cup — 5–1 3–1 4–0 3–0
2Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 8512188+1016Advance to play-offs 0–0 — 2–1 2–0 6–0
3Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg  Faroe Islands 8404119+212 0–1 2–1 — 4–0 2–1
4Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro 8305817−99 2–3 0–2 1–0 — 3–1
5Flag of Gibraltar.svg  Gibraltar 8008328−250 0–7 0–4 0–1 1–2 —
Source: FIFA, UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Matches

The fixture list was confirmed by UEFA on 13 December 2024 following the draw. [2] [3] [4] Times are CET/CEST, [note 1] as listed by UEFA (local times, if different, are in parentheses).

Montenegro  Flag of Montenegro.svg3–1Flag of Gibraltar.svg  Gibraltar
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Gradski stadion, Nikšić
Attendance: 3,021 [5]
Referee: António Nobre (Portugal)
Czech Republic  Flag of the Czech Republic.svg2–1Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg  Faroe Islands
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Malšovická aréna, Hradec Králové
Attendance: 8,978 [6]
Referee: Rade Obrenovič (Slovenia)
Gibraltar  Flag of Gibraltar.svg0–4Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé (Portugal) [note 2]
Attendance: 583 [7]
Referee: Horațiu Feșnic (Romania)
Montenegro  Flag of Montenegro.svg1–0Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg  Faroe Islands
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Gradski stadion, Nikšić
Attendance: 3,226 [8]
Referee: Allard Lindhout (Netherlands)
Czech Republic  Flag of the Czech Republic.svg2–0Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Doosan Arena, Plzeň
Attendance: 10,889 [9]
Referee: Serdar Gözübüyük (Netherlands)
Gibraltar  Flag of Gibraltar.svg0–7Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé (Portugal) [note 2]
Attendance: 1,516 [10]
Referee: Georgi Kabakov (Bulgaria)
Faroe Islands  Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg2–1Flag of Gibraltar.svg  Gibraltar
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Tórsvøllur, Torshavn
Attendance: 2,632 [11]
Referee: Yigal Frid (Israel)
Croatia  Flag of Croatia.svg5–1Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Opus Arena, Osijek
Attendance: 12,207 [12]
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano (Spain)
Faroe Islands  Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg0–1Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Tórsvøllur, Torshavn
Attendance: 4,632 [13]
Referee: Kristo Tohver (Estonia)
Montenegro  Flag of Montenegro.svg0–2Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica
Attendance: 6,315 [14]
Referee: Marco Guida (Italy)
Gibraltar  Flag of Gibraltar.svg0–1Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg  Faroe Islands
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Europa Sports Park, Gibraltar
Attendance: 1,603 [15]
Referee: Mohammed Al-Hakim (Sweden)
Croatia  Flag of Croatia.svg4–0Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb
Attendance: 21,209 [16]
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany)
Czech Republic  Flag of the Czech Republic.svg0–0Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Fortuna Arena, Prague
Attendance: 18,870 [17]
Referee: François Letexier (France)
Faroe Islands  Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg4–0Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Tórsvøllur, Torshavn
Attendance: 2,034 [18]
Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas (Spain)
Faroe Islands  Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg2–1Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Tórsvøllur, Torshavn
Attendance: 2,980 [19]
Referee: Andrea Colombo (Italy)
Croatia  Flag of Croatia.svg3–0Flag of Gibraltar.svg  Gibraltar
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Stadion Varteks, Varaždin
Attendance: 7,579 [20]
Referee: Oleksii Derevinskyi (Ukraine)
Gibraltar  Flag of Gibraltar.svg1–2Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Europa Sports Park, Gibraltar
Attendance: 668 [21]
Referee: Anastasios Papapetrou (Greece)
Croatia  Flag of Croatia.svg3–1Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg  Faroe Islands
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Stadion Rujevica, Rijeka
Attendance: 7,846 [22]
Referee: Aliyar Aghayev (Azerbaijan)
Czech Republic  Flag of the Czech Republic.svg6–0Flag of Gibraltar.svg  Gibraltar
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Andrův stadion, Olomouc
Attendance: 6,587 [23]
Referee: Sascha Stegemann (Germany)
Montenegro  Flag of Montenegro.svg2–3Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
Report (FIFA)
Report (UEFA)
Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica
Attendance: 4,673 [24]
Referee: Halil Umut Meler (Turkey)

Goalscorers

There were 66 goals scored in 20 matches, for an average of 3.3 goals per match.

6 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Discipline

A player or team official was automatically suspended for the next match for the following offences: [25]

The following suspensions were served during the qualifying matches: [26]

TeamPlayerOffence(s)Suspended for match(es)
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic Vladimír Coufal Yellow card.svg vs Montenegro (6 June 2025)
Yellow card.svg vs Croatia (9 June 2025)		vs Montenegro (5 September 2025)
Ladislav Krejčí Yellow card.svg vs Montenegro (5 September 2025)
Yellow card.svg vs Faroe Islands (12 October 2025)		vs Gibraltar (17 November 2025)
Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg  Faroe Islands Odmar Færø Yellow card.svg vs Czech Republic (22 March 2025)
Yellow card.svg vs Croatia (5 September 2025)		vs Gibraltar (8 September 2025)
Jóannes Danielsen Yellow card.svg vs Czech Republic (22 March 2025)
Yellow card.svg vs Czech Republic (12 October 2025)		vs Croatia (14 November 2025)
Flag of Gibraltar.svg  Gibraltar Dan Bent Yellow card.svg vs Montenegro (22 March 2025)
Yellow card.svg vs Faroe Islands (9 June 2025)		vs Faroe Islands (8 September 2025)
Louie Annesley Yellow card.svg vs Czech Republic (25 March 2025)
Yellow card.svg vs Montenegro (14 November 2025)		vs Czech Republic (17 November 2025)
Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro Marko Vešović Yellow card.svg vs Faroe Islands (25 March 2025)
Yellow card.svg vs Czech Republic (6 June 2025)		vs Czech Republic (5 September 2025)
Marko Janković Yellow card.svg vs Gibraltar (22 March 2025)
Yellow card.svg vs Czech Republic (6 June 2025)		vs Croatia (8 September 2025)
Andrija Bulatović Yellow card.svg Yellow-red card.svg vs Croatia (8 September 2025)vs Faroe Islands (9 October 2025)

Incidents

Group of Croatian fans were attacked on 16 November 2025 in Montenegro, between Budva and Cetinje, on the way to a match in Podgorica. [27] On the match day, around 600 Croatian fans were escorted to the stadium under heavy security measures ahead of the match. [28]

Notes

  1. ↑ CET (UTC+1) for matches until 29 March and from 26 October (matchday 1–2 and 9–10), and CEST (UTC+2) for matches from 30 March to 25 October 2025 (matchday 3–8).
  2. 1 2 Gibraltar played two home matches at Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé, Portugal, due to the redevelopment of their regular stadium Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar.

References

  1. ↑ "Draw Procedures for the UEFA Preliminary Draw for the FIFA World Cup 26" (PDF). FIFA. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  2. ↑ "European Qualifiers for 2026 World Cup: All the fixtures and results". UEFA. 14 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  3. ↑ "European Qualifiers 2024–26 (FIFA World Cup Preliminary Competition) – Group stage fixtures by matchday" (PDF). UEFA. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  4. ↑ "European Qualifiers 2024–26 (FIFA World Cup Preliminary Competition) – Group stage fixtures by group" (PDF). UEFA. 14 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  5. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Montenegro v Gibraltar" (PDF). UEFA. 22 March 2025. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
  6. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Czechia v Faroe Islands" (PDF). UEFA. 22 March 2025. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
  7. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Gibraltar v Czechia" (PDF). UEFA. 25 March 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  8. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Montenegro v Faroe Islands" (PDF). UEFA. 25 March 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  9. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Czechia v Montenegro" (PDF). UEFA. 6 June 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Gibraltar v Croatia" (PDF). UEFA. 6 June 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  11. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Faroe Islands v Gibraltar" (PDF). UEFA. 9 June 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  12. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Croatia v Czechia" (PDF). UEFA. 9 June 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  13. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Faroe Islands v Croatia" (PDF). UEFA. 5 September 2025. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  14. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Montenegro v Czechia" (PDF). UEFA. 5 September 2025. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
  15. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Gibraltar v Faroe Islands" (PDF). UEFA. 8 September 2025. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  16. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Croatia v Montenegro" (PDF). UEFA. 8 September 2025. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  17. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Czechia v Croatia" (PDF). UEFA. 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  18. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Faroe Islands v Montenegro" (PDF). UEFA. 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  19. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Faroe Islands v Czechia" (PDF). UEFA. 12 October 2025. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  20. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Croatia v Gibraltar" (PDF). UEFA. 12 October 2025. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  21. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Gibraltar v Montenegro" (PDF). UEFA. 14 November 2025. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  22. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Croatia v Faroe Islands" (PDF). UEFA. 14 November 2025. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  23. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Czechia v Gibraltar" (PDF). UEFA. 17 November 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  24. ↑ "Full Time Report Qualifying round – Montenegro v Croatia" (PDF). UEFA. 17 November 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  25. ↑ "Regulations: FIFA World Cup 2026 Preliminary Competition" (PDF). FIFA. June 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  26. ↑ "FIFA World Cup 2026: Booking List before European Qualifiers Matchday 10" (PDF). UEFA. 17 November 2025. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 November 2025. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  27. ↑ "Napadnuta skupina hrvatskih navijača između Budve i Cetinja" [Group of Croatian fans attacked between Budva and Cetinje]. sport.hrt.hr (in Croatian). Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT). 16 November 2025.
  28. ↑ "Hrvatski navijači na stadionu u Podgorici" [Croatian fans at the stadium in Podgorica]. sport.hrt.hr (in Croatian). Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT). 17 November 2025.
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