Sir Gareth Southgate has pinpointed three nations he believes England would be wise to steer clear of in the upcoming 2026 World Cup group-stage draw. The former Three Lions boss singled out Japan and Colombia from Pot 2, and Scotland from Pot 3, as potentially problematic opponents for Thomas Tuchel's side.
The Draw Ceremony and England's Seeding
The football world will focus on Washington DC's Kennedy Center this Friday, December 5th, 2025, for the glitzy draw ceremony. Hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum, comedian Kevin Hart, and actor Danny Ramirez, the event kicks off at 17:00 GMT. England, having cruised through qualification with a perfect record, find themselves among the elite in Pot 1, alongside hosts USA, Canada, and Mexico, as well as favourites Spain and reigning champions Argentina.
The expanded 48-team tournament features a complex draw with specific rules: no more than two UEFA nations can be in one group, and outside of Europe, no two teams from the same confederation can be paired. This makes the composition of each group particularly intriguing.
Southgate's Tricky Trio: The Teams to Dodge
Speaking to Heart Breakfast, Southgate, who led England to a quarter-final exit against France in Qatar 2022, revealed his thoughts on the draw. When pressed to name teams England should ideally avoid, he was clear in his assessment.
"I think someone like Japan would be a very tough game," Southgate stated, highlighting the Asian side's technical quality. On Colombia, he recalled their 2018 encounter and pointed to the formidable atmosphere their fans would create in North America: "What an atmosphere that will be!"
Perhaps most notably, he mentioned home nation rivals Scotland. Despite England's strong historical record, Southgate warned of the unique pressure, joking that a loss would lead to decades of ribbing from Scottish legends like Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, and Sir Alex Ferguson.
Keeping His Distance from Tuchel's Reign
The interview also shed light on Southgate's life after the England hotseat. He admitted to finding it "strange" being away from the intense pressures of the job and confessed he has watched only a couple of England's qualifiers under successor Thomas Tuchel.
Demonstrating a clear desire to give the new regime space, Southgate confirmed he has no plans to attend the tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, nor will he be doing media work during it. "My role now is to keep out of the way!" he insisted, while still expressing his hope that the players and staff he knows so well will succeed.
Fans from the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Wales will also watch Friday's draw closely, as their teams prepare for decisive play-off matches scheduled for March 2026.
