The draw for the inaugural 48-team FIFA World Cup takes place on Friday. This will determine the group stage for the tournament scheduled from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Here is a comprehensive guide to how the draw will work.
FIFA has divided the teams into four pots of 12 based on the latest FIFA World Ranking. The draw will place one team from each pot into each of the 12 groups and has structured the process so that the four highest-ranked nations, Spain, Argentina, France, and England, remain in separate groups, ensuring they cannot meet before the semi-finals if each wins its group.
A key confederation rule states that no group may contain more than one team from the same continental federation, except for UEFA (Europe), which has 16 qualifiers. Consequently, four of the 12 groups will feature two European nations.
The three host nations have already allocated themselves to specific groups to optimise travel and fixture planning. The United States will take its place in Group D, playing two matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle. Meanwhile, Mexico will headline Group A, featuring two matches at the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, including the tournament’s opening match on June 11, and one in Guadalajara. Additionally, Canada will occupy Group B, with one match in Toronto and two in Vancouver.
The expansion from 32 to 48 teams introduces a new round of 32 in the knockout phase. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups will advance. They will be joined by the eight best third-placed teams. This structure means the 72-match group stage will eliminate only 16 of the 48 participants. As a result, the margin for error and drama increases.
The draw will use the following pots, and several remaining qualifiers will secure their places through the playoffs in March 2026.
Pot 1: United States, Mexico, Canada, 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, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, plus four UEFA playoff winners and two intercontinental playoff winners.
The final six spots will be decided in the playoffs on March 26 and 31, 2026.
- UEFA Playoffs: 16 teams compete across four paths (A, B, C, D), with one winner from each path qualifying.
- Intercontinental Playoffs: 6 teams compete in two paths. The winners of the semi-finals and finals held in Mexico secure the last two berths.
