Overview
- Germany thrashed Slovakia 6-0 in Leipzig to top Group A, with goals from Nick Woltemade, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sané (two), Ridle Baku and Assan Ouedraogo.
- The victory secured Germany's 21st World Cup appearance and a 17th consecutive finals after group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022.
- The Netherlands sealed qualification by beating Lithuania 4-0 in Amsterdam and finished the campaign unbeaten.
- Poland edged Malta 3-2 in Ta' Qali to book a playoff berth and a Pot 1 seeding for the playoff draw.
- The World Cup group-stage draw is set for December 5 in Washington, with March friendlies, including Germany vs Côte d'Ivoire on March 30 in Stuttgart, shaping final squad decisions.