UEFA have confirmed the seedings for the European Qualifiers that will determine the 16 nations from the continent who will make it through to the 2026 World Cup.
The draw takes place on Friday, 13 December and England have been included in Pot 1 alongside the traditional heavyweights of the game in Europe, the likes of France, Germany, Spain and Portugal.
Thomas Tuchel's side will be placed in a group of either four or five teams, if it is the smaller size then qualifying will not begin until September, a long time to wait for the new head coach's first competitive game.
Although England will be clear favourites to top their section and earn automatic qualification for the finals (the 12 group winners all go through with the four further places decided by play-offs between the runners-up), some dangers lurk in the other pots.
A buoyant Welsh side, for example, under the confident leadership of Craig Bellamy and Sweden, with a fine attacking partnership of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres, are in Pot 2 with Scotland in Pot 3.