The journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup became clearer this Friday after the group stage draw was conducted at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. The draw placed the 48 participating teams into 12 groups for the initial phase of the tournament, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico between June and July 2026.
This tournament marks a significant change with its expanded format of 48 teams. This alteration extends the competition and introduces an extra knockout round—the Round of 32—before moving on to the Round of 16.
Of the 48 nations, 42 have already secured their place, while the remaining six spots will be determined in March 2026 via international and UEFA playoffs.
On the logistical side, key dates are already set: the opening match will take place on June 11 at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium, the final is scheduled for July 19 in New York, and the third-place match is slated for July 18 in Miami.
Mexico, one of the host nations and seeded due to its position as host, ranks 15th in the FIFA rankings. It is placed in Group A, where it will make its debut against South Africa, and will compete alongside South Korea and a yet-to-be-determined UEFA playoff winner (either Denmark, North Macedonia, Ireland, or the Czech Republic).
This group will play from June 11 to June 24 across venues such as Azteca (Mexico City), Akron (Guadalajara), BBVA (Monterrey), and Mercedes-Benz (Atlanta).
Canada, the other North American host, leads Group B with Qatar and Switzerland, plus a team to be decided from UEFA playoff A (Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, or Bosnia and Herzegovina).
This group will compete from June 12 to June 24 in locations like BMO Field (Toronto), BC Place (Vancouver), Levi's Stadium (San Francisco), SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles), and Lumen Field (Seattle).
The draw also resulted in intriguing matchups right from the start. Group C includes Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland; Group D features the United States, Paraguay, Australia, and a UEFA playoff C participant (Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, or Kosovo).
Group E consists of Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador. Group F brings together the Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, and a team from UEFA playoff B (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, or Albania).
Further along, Group G includes Belgium, Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand; Group H has Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay; Group I features France, Senegal, Norway, and a qualifier from international playoff 2 (Bolivia, Suriname, or Iraq).
Group J is composed of Argentina, Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. Group K pairs Portugal, Uzbekistan, and Colombia, plus a team from international playoff 1 (Jamaica, Democratic Republic of the Congo, or New Caledonia). Finally, Group L comprises England, Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.
The World Cup's organization will also feature a "regionalized" approach to minimize long distances and travel, given the size of the tournament and the three host nations.
According to the released information, several cities and stadiums for some groups are yet to be confirmed, with an updated schedule expected to be announced on Saturday, December 6.
Key Information about the 2026 World Cup
What is the new format for the 2026 World Cup?
The 2026 World Cup will feature an expanded format with 48 teams, introducing an additional knockout round called the Round of 32.
When and where will the opening match take place?
The opening match is scheduled for June 11, 2026, at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
Which countries are hosting the 2026 World Cup?
The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
How will the remaining World Cup spots be decided?
The last six World Cup spots will be determined through international and UEFA playoffs in March 2026.