Germany are not entertaining any scenario other than securing automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup, coach Julian Nagelsmann insisted on Sunday, as his side prepares to host Slovakia in their decisive final qualifier on Monday.

Leading Group A with 12 points—level with Slovakia but ahead on goal difference—Germany will book their place at next year’s tournament, co-hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada, with either a win or a draw. Slovakia, however, will arrive with confidence after defeating Germany 2-0 in Bratislava in their opening group meeting back in September.

A loss in Frankfurt would drop Germany to second place and force them into a playoff in March for a World Cup berth, a scenario Nagelsmann said is not being discussed within the squad.

“No, it’s not an issue for us,” Nagelsmann told reporters, two days after his team claimed a 2-0 victory over Luxembourg. “Very few teams would focus on the negative possibilities. Of course, there is some nervousness ahead of a match like this, but there is also great excitement.”

The German coach acknowledged that the earlier defeat in Slovakia was frustrating, but said his players are fully focused on finishing the job on home soil.

“We would have liked to win in Slovakia, but it is what it is,” he said. “We’re confident we will perform well and take all three points.”

Germany, four-time world champions, are aiming to reclaim their status on the world stage after back-to-back group-stage exits in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups—their worst run in the competition’s history.