Belgium and Germany close in on 2026 World Cup spots as France and Switzerland stumble

With two rounds of European Qualifiers remaining, several groups remain finely balanced, Belgium are now top of Group J, France lead a tense Group D, and Germany's push in Group A continues to gather pace.

Iceland Fight Back to Hold France

France stayed top of Group D after being held to a 2-2 draw by Iceland in Reykjavik. The hosts struck first when Victor Palsson converted before half-time, capitalising on an excellent start that included key saves from goalkeeper Elias Rafn Olafsson.

Didier Deschamps' side turned the game around midway through the second half through quick goals from Christopher Nkunku and Jean-Philippe Mateta, but Kristian Hlynsson's well-taken finish earned Iceland a deserved point.

France remain three points clear of Ukraine, who beat Azerbaijan 2-1, with Iceland three points further back in third. France will qualify automatically if they beat Azerbaijan in their next fixture, while Ukraine must win their final two games to stay in contention.

De Bruyne Double Inspires Belgium in Cardiff

Kevin De Bruyne scored twice from the penalty spot as Belgium defeated Wales 4-2 in Cardiff to move top of Group J. Joe Rodon had put the hosts ahead early on, but De Bruyne levelled from the spot before Thomas Meunier's smart first-time finish gave Belgium a 2-1 half-time lead.

After a spell of Welsh pressure, De Bruyne struck again from the spot to restore control. Nathan Broadhead briefly gave Wales hope with a fine finish, but Leandro Trossard sealed victory for Rudi Garcia's side on the break.

Belgium now lead Group J on 19 points, two ahead of second-placed North Macedonia, who were held 1-1 by Kazakhstan.

A win over Kazakhstan next month would confirm Belgium's place at the 2026 World Cup.

Germany Edge Northern Ireland in Belfast Battle

Germany secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in Belfast thanks to Nick Woltemade's first senior international goal. Julian Nagelsmann's side dominated possession but were forced to defend resolutely late on as the hosts pushed for an equaliser.

The result keeps Germany level on nine points with Slovakia in Group A, who beat Luxembourg 2-0. Both teams are chasing top spot in a group where only three points separate the top three sides.

Germany host Slovakia on Matchday 10 in what could be the decisive fixture for automatic qualification.

Switzerland Frustrated as Kosovo Close Gap

Switzerland missed the chance to seal early qualification after being held 0-0 by Slovenia in Group B. The Swiss created the better chances but were denied by inspired goalkeeping from Jan Oblak.

Their draw allowed Kosovo to close the gap to three points after a 1-0 win away to Sweden. Switzerland remain top on 17 points, with Kosovo second on 14.

Both sides can still qualify automatically, with Switzerland needing one more win from their final two matches to confirm their place.

Ukraine Keep Pressure on France

Ruslan Malinovskyi's second-half strike earned Ukraine a 2-1 victory over Azerbaijan, keeping them within touching distance of Group D leaders France. The result leaves Ukraine on 15 points, three behind France but still in contention.

To qualify automatically, Ukraine must win their next two games and hope France drop points. Azerbaijan remain bottom with just one point.

North Macedonia Slip in Skopje

North Macedonia's World Cup hopes suffered a setback as they were held 1-1 by Kazakhstan in Skopje. Dinmukhamed Karaman's spectacular overhead kick cancelled out Enis Bardhi's opener, denying the hosts a vital win.

With the draw, North Macedonia stay second in Group J on 17 points, two behind Belgium. They now face a must-win clash against Wales in November to keep their qualification hopes alive.

FIFA World Cup qualifying results

Group A:

Northern Ireland 0-1 Germany

Slovakia 2-0 Luxembourg

Group B:

Sweden 0-1 Kosovo

Slovenia 0-0 Switzerland

Group D:

Iceland 2-2 France

Ukraine 2-1 Azerbaijan

Group J:

Wales 2-4 Belgium

North Macedonia 1-1 Kazakhstan

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