The countdown to the biggest FIFA World Cup in history is on! The draw for the group stage of the 2026 tournament takes place this week, setting the stage for what promises to be a football carnival across three host nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
This edition will feature 48 teams, up from 32, making it the most expansive World Cup ever. While most nations have already booked their spots, six play-off winners are still to be decided. The tournament kicks off on 11 June 2026, with the final set for 19 July.
WHEN IS THE DRAW?
Date: Friday, 5 December
Venue: Kennedy Centre, Washington D.C.
Time: 5 PM GMT (12 PM local time)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino will oversee proceedings. Expect a lengthy event, as these draws tend to be detailed affairs.
Match schedule release: FIFA will announce the full fixture list on Saturday at 5 PM GMT, after finalising venues and kick-off times to suit fans and broadcasters worldwide.
HOW DOES THE DRAW WORK?
- 48 teams divided into four pots of 12, based on FIFA rankings.
- Pot 1 includes the three host nations (USA, Mexico, Canada) plus the nine highest-ranked teams.
- Pot 4 contains the six play-off winners, even though some may rank higher than Pot 3 teams.
- FIFA has confirmed Spain (top seed) and Argentina (second seed) will be placed in opposite halves of the draw, ensuring they can only meet in the final, same for France (3rd) and England (4th).
POT ALLOCATION
- Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
- Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
- Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
- Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, four European playoff winners, two intercontinental playoff winners
WHO’S IN THE PLAY-OFFS?
European Play-Offs: Wales v Bosnia, Italy v Northern Ireland, Ukraine v Sweden, Poland v Albania, Slovakia v Kosovo, Turkiyie v Romania, Czech Republic v Ireland, Denmark v North Macedonia.
Intercontinental Play-Offs: New Caledonia v Jamaica (winner faces DR Congo), Bolivia v Suriname (winner faces Iraq).
