The highly anticipated draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is set for Friday in Washington, D.C. This event will assign the 48 teams into their respective groups ahead of the tournament, which will take place from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Key Details of the Draw
Watching the Draw
- Date: Friday, December 5
- Time: 12 PM ET / 9 AM PT
- Where to Watch: FOX, Telemundo, TSN, and FIFA.com
Understanding the Draw Process
A total of 42 teams have qualified for the tournament, and they will be organized into four pots based on the FIFA Men’s World Rankings as of November 2025.
The host nations—USA, Canada, and Mexico—will occupy Pot 1. Additionally, playoff placeholders, including those from the 2026 FIFA World Cup Play-Off Tournament and four from Europe, will be aligned into Pot 4.
Each group—designated A through L—will only feature one team from each region, with the exception of European teams. At least one European nation must be included in each group, with a maximum of two allowed.
FIFA has implemented a seeding system to ensure that the four highest-ranked teams—Spain, Argentina, France, and England—do not encounter each other until the semifinal stage, provided they win their groups.
Qualified Teams
The co-host nations USA, Canada, and Mexico have automatically secured their spots, while 45 other teams have qualified through their respective confederations. Currently, 42 out of 48 spots are filled, with six remaining berths to be determined through playoffs in March.
African Continent: Teams include Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia.
European Teams: Qualified nations feature Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, and Switzerland.
North America, Central America & Caribbean (Concacaf): Nations include Canada, Curaçao, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, and the United States.
South America (Conmebol): Teams include Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Remaining Qualification Opportunities
Six places in the tournament are still open for qualification.
European Pathway
Between March 26 and March 31, 16 UEFA teams will compete in a playoff. This will include 12 group runners-up from the initial qualification stages along with the four highest-ranked remaining teams from the Nations League.
Each playoff path’s winner earns a spot in the World Cup.
- Italy vs. Northern Ireland
- Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
Final Matchup: Italy/Northern Ireland vs. Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Ukraine vs. Sweden
- Poland vs. Albania
Final Matchup: Ukraine/Sweden vs. Poland/Albania
- Türkiye vs. Romania
- Slovakia vs. Kosovo
Final Matchup: Türkiye/Romania vs. Slovakia/Kosovo
- Denmark vs. North Macedonia
- Czechia vs. Republic of Ireland
Final Matchup: Czechia/Republic of Ireland vs. Denmark/North Macedonia
Inter-confederation Playoffs
The last two spots will also be decided in March, in Mexico, through inter-confederation playoff matches as outlined below:
- Semifinal Match: New Caledonia vs. Jamaica
- Final Match: New Caledonia/Jamaica vs. Congo DR
- Semifinal Match: Bolivia vs. Suriname
- Final Match: Bolivia/Suriname vs. Iraq
Pot Allocation for Qualified Teams
The group distribution will follow a structured order, commencing with teams from Pot 1, followed by Pots 2, 3, and 4.
Pot 1
- Canada
- Mexico
- United States
- 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
- European Playoff A
- European Playoff B
- European Playoff C
- European Playoff D
- FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Tournament 1
- FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Tournament 2
World Cup Dates
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled from June to July, taking place at 16 different stadiums across the co-hosting countries. Notably, five stadiums will be home to Major League Soccer teams, with the majority of matches occurring in the United States.
Here’s a brief overview of the schedule:
- Group Stage: June 11-27
- Round of 32: June 28 – July 3
- Round of 16: July 4-7
- Quarterfinals: July 8-11
- Semifinals: July 14-15
- Third Place: July 18
- Final: July 19
Impact on the MLS Schedule
Regular MLS play will be paused from May 25 to July 16 due to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This break will accommodate the significant number of league players expected to be participating in the tournament, which will showcase a record 48 nations.
Following the FIFA World Cup Semifinals, MLS will resume its 2026 season on July 16-17, featuring key rivalry matches.
