All the information you need
Anticipation is rising ahead of the 2026 World Cup and the group stage draw taking place on Friday. This prestigious tournament is the most-watched sporting event globally and will be the largest World Cup to date, expanding from 32 to 48 teams, with most spots already filled—six playoff teams are still to be determined.
Next summer will be a celebration of football across the three host nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada, all of whom have qualified automatically. The tournament kicks off on June 11, with the final set for July 19. Fans from around the world will be eager to tune into the draw, and we’ve provided all the essential information to help you understand the process. Scroll down for real-time updates on the fixtures as they are drawn.
How is the draw conducted?
The 42 confirmed qualifying teams and the six playoff winners have been organized into four pots of 12 teams according to FIFA rankings. The three host nations are placed in Pot 1 alongside the nine top-ranked teams. Notably, the six playoff winners are slotted into Pot 4, and it’s likely that the winners of the European playoff matches will be ranked higher than teams in Pot 3.
In addition, FIFA has confirmed that Spain (top seed) and Argentina (2nd seed) will be placed in separate halves of the draw, ensuring they cannot meet until the final—should they both win their groups. The same applies for France (3rd seed) and England (4th seed).
Who is competing in the playoffs?
For a detailed breakdown of the playoff matches, click here, but here’s a quick overview. In the European playoffs, the winner of Wales vs. Bosnia will face off against the winner of Italy vs. Northern Ireland. Ukraine will go head-to-head with Sweden before taking on the victor between Poland and Albania. Slovakia will challenge Kosovo, with the winner facing either Turkey or Romania. The winners from the Czech Republic vs. Republic of Ireland match will play against Denmark or North Macedonia. In the intercontinental playoffs, New Caledonia will compete against Jamaica to determine who faces DR Congo. Meanwhile, the winners of Bolivia vs. Suriname will confront Iraq.
The draw for the 2026 World Cup
