The 2026 World Cup draw is scheduled for Friday at 12 p.m. ET at the Kennedy Center in Washington. The purpose of the draw is to divide the 48-team field into 12 groups of four teams each. Following the preliminary group stage, 32 teams will progress to the knockout rounds.
The 12 groups in the World Cup are denoted as Group A, Group B, and so forth up to Group L. The draw process involves selecting teams from different pots. Each group will consist of one team from each of the four pots.
The teams in the pots are as follows, along with their current FIFA rankings: Pot 1 includes top-ranked teams like Spain, Argentina, and France. Pot 2 features teams like Croatia, Uruguay, and Japan. Pot 3 comprises teams such as Egypt, Tunisia, and Ivory Coast. Pot 4 includes teams like Ghana, New Zealand, and placeholders from UEFA and FIFA playoffs.
The host nations, the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, have been placed in Pot 1. This positioning ensures that they steer clear of facing multiple top teams in their groups. Mexico is set for Group A, Canada for Group B, and the U.S. for Group D.
Moreover, the draw ensures that the top four FIFA-ranked teams – Spain, Argentina, France, and England – are placed strategically to avoid meeting until the semifinals if they win their respective groups.
Notably, six spots in Pot 4 are vacant, as they will be filled after the UEFA and FIFA playoffs in March. The UEFA playoffs will determine four European teams, while the FIFA playoffs will include teams from various regions like New Caledonia, Jamaica, and Congo.
The draw must adhere to certain guidelines: each group must have at least one European team but no more than two. Additionally, teams from the same confederation cannot be grouped together, except for UEFA teams. The draw will create diverse and challenging groups, with the potential for surprising matchups.
The schedule for the games will be fully unveiled on Saturday, with the dates for the host countries already confirmed. Canada will host matches on June 12, June 18, and June 24, Mexico on June 11, June 18, and June 24, and the United States on June 12, June 19, and June 25.