Spain and Italy were placed in the same qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, as were the Netherlands and France, but holders Germany were handed a kinder campaign with the Czech Republic their chief rivals in the draw made yesterday.

Spain, world champions in 2010, and Italy, who won the last of their four titles in 2006, are favourites to fill the top two slots in Group G after being paired with Albania, Israel, Macedonia and Liechtenstein.

Only the group winners will automatically advance to the finals, however, with the eight best runners-up from the nine groups fighting it out in play-offs for four other berths.

Former Russian footballer Aleksandr Kerzhakov holds up the slip for Malta.

Things do not look so straightforward in Group A where the Netherlands and France face tricky opponents in Sweden, Bulgaria, Belarus and Luxembourg,

Germany, who won the World Cup for the fourth time in Brazil last year, will face the Czechs, Northern Ireland, Norway, Azerbaijan and San Marino.

“I’m happy that we are not playing against Italy and France,” Germany manager Oliver Bierhoff told reporters.

“We can be satisfied about that.”

England again look well placed after being grouped with their oldest rivals Scotland in Group F, along with Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Malta.

“It is a draw that has made a lot of people happy I suppose,” Scotland coach Gordon Strachan told reporters in Russia.

‘Fantastic fixture’

“The coaching staff are happy because we’ve got a lot of teams we haven’t faced recently and there are a lot of delirious fans here because it is a fantastic fixture.

“I think the whole of Scotland and England will be looking forward to this en-counter in the qualifiers.”

Wales will have high hopes of reaching the finals for the first time since 1958 having been placed, after the benefit of a rare top seeding, alongside Austria, Serbia, Ireland, Moldova and Georgia.

“We’ve really improved in the last three years and we fancy ourselves against anyone,” Wales coach Chris Coleman said.

“We’ve had a bit of fun being in pot one. It’s new for us. We’ve really enjoyed it.”

The other groups look open, with Portugal, Switzerland and Hungary in Group B, Romania, Poland and Denmark in Group E, Belgium and Bosnia in Group H and Croatia, Iceland, Ukraine and Turkey in Group I.

Hosts Russia qualify automatically, meaning 14 European teams will be in the finals in three years’ time.

2018 World Cup (group winners through, best eight runners-up in play-offs)

Group A
Netherlands
France
Sweden
Bulgaria
Belarus
Luxembourg

Group B
Portugal
Switzerland
Hungary
Faroe Islands
Latvia
Andorra

Group C
Germany
Czech Republic
N. Ireland
Norway
Azerbaijan
San Marino

Group D
Wales
Austria
Serbia
Ireland
Moldova
Georgia

Group E
Romania
Denmark
Poland
Montenegro
Armenia
Kazakhstan

Group F
England
Slovakia
Scotland
Slovenia
Lithuania
MALTA

Group G
Spain
Italy
Albania
Israel
Macedonia
Liechtenstein

Group H
Belgium
Bosnia
Greece
Estonia
Cyprus

Group I
Croatia
Iceland
Ukraine
Turkey
Finland