The stage is set for one of the most anticipated events in the footballing calendar as the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches. This will be a landmark tournament, marking the first time the competition has expanded to include 48 teams and the first to be hosted across three nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
When and Where is the 2026 World Cup Draw?
Football fans around the globe can mark their calendars for Friday, 5 December. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 5pm GMT (12pm EST) at the prestigious Kennedy Center in Washington DC. In a notable development, US president Donald Trump is expected to attend the event, adding a political dimension to the sporting spectacle.
Understanding the New 48-Team World Cup Format
The expansion from 32 to 48 teams introduces a completely new structure. The qualified nations will be divided into 12 groups of four teams each. The groups will be formed using four separate pots to ensure a balanced competition.
Pot one will be comprised of the three host nations—USA, Canada, and Mexico—along with the nine highest-ranked qualified teams according to the FIFA world rankings. It has already been confirmed that Mexico will be placed in Group A, Canada in Group B, and the USA in Group C.
Pots two, three, and four will be filled with the remaining 36 teams, organised by their world ranking. Strict rules will be applied to keep teams from the same confederation apart during the group stage, with a single exception for UEFA, which has 16 teams. Consequently, no single group will contain more than two European nations.
Path to the Knockout Stages and Qualified Nations
The route to the latter stages has also been revolutionised. The top two finishers from each of the 12 groups will automatically advance to the round of 32. They will be joined by the eight best third-placed teams. Ranking these third-place teams will involve a detailed tie-breaking system, considering points, goal difference, goals scored, and even 'team conduct scores' based on yellow and red cards, before finally resorting to the team's world ranking.
The allocation of the 48 spots was determined by continental quotas, with the final two places to be decided by an inter-confederation play-off in March. The nations that have already secured their place at the 2026 World Cup are:
Europe (UEFA): England, France, Croatia, Portugal, Norway, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Spain, Belgium, Scotland, Switzerland.
Asia (AFC): Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan.
Africa (CAF): Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia.
North America (CONCACAF): Canada, Mexico, United States, Curacao, Haiti, Panama.
South America (CONMEBOL): Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay.
Oceania (OFC): New Zealand.
The tournament will kick off on 11 June 2026 at Mexico City's legendary Azteca Stadium, a venue steeped in World Cup history, and will conclude with the final on 19 July at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. With 104 matches scheduled, the majority (78) will be held in the USA, while Mexico and Canada will each host 13 games, promising a truly continental football festival.
