The draw for the 2026 World Cup is almost upon us as excitement continues to build.
42 of the 48 teams who will compete at the expanded tournament in North America next summer are now known, with UEFA and the wider inter-confederation play-offs set to determine the final six entries in March.
US President Donald Trump will be among those in attendance for Friday’s draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky and Aaron Judge all taking part.
World Cup draw 2026: Confirmed pots and seedings
The draw will consist of four pots of 12 teams, which are determined by the latest FIFA world rankings.
The exception to that rule is Canada, the USA and Mexico all being placed in pot 1 due to their status as tournament co-hosts.
There are also six slots reserved in pot four for the play-off winners who are yet to be determined, four from UEFA and two from the inter-confederation play-offs.
One team from each pot will be drawn into each group from A through to L, starting with pot 1 and ending with pot 4, leaving 12 groups of four teams.
We already know that Mexico will be in Group A and will kick off the World Cup at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11.
Canada are in Group B and begin their campaign in Toronto on June 12, while the USA are in Group D and have their first game in California on the same day.
Two separate pathways to the semi-finals have already been established, pairing the world’s top-two ranked teams (Spain and Argentina) together and placing them into groups on opposite sides of the draw.
That is also the case for the third and fourth-ranked teams (France and England). It means that England will avoid Spain and Argentina until the semis and France until the final, provided those nations all win their respective groups.
FIFA say this has been done to “ensure competitive balance”.
Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Off A, B, C and D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 and 2
