Sports
Home Nations Learn 2026 World Cup Qualifying Opponents

The road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been laid out for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland following the qualifying draw held in Zurich on Friday. Each nation now knows the challenges ahead as they vie for a spot in the tournament, set to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
England
Under the guidance of newly appointed manager Thomas Tuchel, England will face Serbia, Albania, Latvia, and Andorra in their group. With a blend of competitive and less formidable opponents, England will look to assert dominance and secure automatic qualification.
Wales
Wales finds itself in a group with familiar rivals Belgium, alongside North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein. The clash with Belgium is expected to be a key fixture, as the Welsh aim to secure their place in the expanded tournament.
Scotland
Scotland faces Greece, Belarus, and the loser of the Nations League quarter-final between Portugal and Denmark. The Scots also have a separate challenge in March, with a two-legged Nations League promotion-relegation play-off against Greece, providing an early taste of their group dynamics.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has been drawn alongside Slovakia, Luxembourg, and the winner of the Nations League quarter-final between Germany and Italy. With a compact group, every match will carry added significance as they aim to contend for qualification.
The Qualifying Format
The qualifiers will take place during five international breaks between March and November 2025. The winner of each of the 12 groups will automatically secure a place in the 2026 World Cup, while the second-placed teams will advance to the play-offs. From Europe, a total of 16 teams will qualify for the tournament.
For Scotland and Northern Ireland, who are in four-team groups, the qualifying games will begin in September 2025. Until then, both teams have a critical focus on their Nations League campaigns, which could set the tone for their qualification journey.
Sports
Warren Gatland to Step Down as Wales Head Coach

Warren Gatland is set to leave his role as Wales head coach after a record-breaking 14 consecutive Test match defeats, bringing an early end to his second tenure in charge.
Although the 61-year-old was contracted until the 2027 Rugby World Cup, he was already expected to step down after the Six Nations. Now, his departure will come midway through the tournament, with Wales still set to face Ireland on 22 February in Cardiff, Scotland on 8 March, and England on 15 March.
Possible successors include former Australia coach Michael Cheika, Glasgow’s Franco Smith, and Ireland interim boss Simon Easterby.
Gatland, who enjoyed a highly successful 12-year first stint with Wales—winning three Grand Slams and leading the team to two World Cup semi-finals—returned in December 2022 to replace Wayne Pivac. However, his second tenure has been marred by poor performances, with Wales suffering their worst losing streak in 144 years of international rugby. The 22-15 loss to Italy last weekend cemented their decline, dropping them to 12th in the world rankings.
In total, Gatland has overseen 151 Tests across both spells, with 76 wins, 73 losses, and two draws. His recent record stands at just six victories in 26 matches, a win ratio of only 23%.
Sports
Tiger Woods Withdraws from Genesis Invitational Following Mother’s Passing

Tiger Woods has pulled out of this week’s Genesis Invitational, stating he is “still processing” the recent death of his mother, Kultida Woods.
The 15-time major champion, who had initially planned to participate, announced his withdrawal on social media, saying, “I planned to tee it up this week, but I’m just not ready. I did my best to prepare, knowing it’s what my mom would have wanted, but I’m still processing her loss.”
Woods’ mother, Kultida, passed away on February 4. Just days later, tournament organizers had confirmed Woods’ participation in the event, which is now being held at Torrey Pines instead of its usual Riviera Country Club venue due to wildfires in Los Angeles.
Woods has not played a PGA Tour event since The Open at Royal Troon last July. His competitive appearances have been sporadic since a 2021 car accident left him with severe leg injuries, and he underwent additional back surgery in September. Most recently, he played alongside his son, Charlie, in a 36-hole event in December and participated in an exhibition for the Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL), which he co-founded.
As the tournament host, Woods hopes to attend the Genesis Invitational later in the week but has not committed to a specific timeline. The event benefits his TGR Foundation, which supports youth education initiatives.
Fans and fellow players have expressed their condolences and support for Woods as he navigates this difficult time.
Sports
Tottenham’s Radu Dragusin Suffers Season-Ending ACL Injury

Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee. The 23-year-old sustained the injury during Spurs’ Europa League clash against Elfsborg last week and will undergo surgery.
Dragusin is expected to be sidelined for at least six months, though recovery from ACL injuries can sometimes extend to a year. Tottenham confirmed that their medical team will monitor his rehabilitation to determine his return timeline.
The Romanian international had become a key figure for Spurs, starting 21 of their last 23 games. His absence adds to an already extensive injury list, which includes Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner, Wilson Odobert, Cristian Romero, and Dominic Solanke. However, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies have recently returned to action.
Dragusin joined Tottenham from Genoa in January 2024 in a £25 million deal. To bolster their defensive options, Spurs signed Austria international Kevin Danso on loan for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy for £21 million. They also made an ambitious £70 million bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, which was rejected, but secured the signing of 19-year-old attacker Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.