With less than six months before the world’s biggest football spectacle kicks off, the stage is set for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw. It’s scheduled for Friday at the prestigious Kennedy Center in Washington, USA. The ceremony begins at 5am GMT, and fans can watch it live on FIFA+ and FIFA World Cup social channels, with no TV telecast available.
The edition of the future tournament will be the first in history with 48 teams – instead of 32 in Qatar 2022, making it the biggest World Cup ever organized. The event will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States from June 1 to July 19, 2026.
How the Draw Works
A total of 42 teams have already booked their spot, while the final six will emerge from playoff matches scheduled for March next year.
The draw will divide all 48 teams into 12 groups (A to L) of four teams each. The top two teams from every group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will progress to the newly structured 32-team knockout bracket — another historic first.
Pot Allocation
Teams are placed into four pots of 12 based on the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking as of November 2025. Nevertheless, as the tournament hosts, Canada, Mexico, and the USA are already put in Pot 1 with their groups assigned:
Mexico – Group A (A1)
Canada – Group B (B1)
USA – Group D (D1)
During the draw, they will be represented with colored balls: green for Mexico, red for Canada, and blue for the USA.
Top-ranked nations such as Argentina, Spain, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany occupy the remaining positions in Pot 1.
Pots Overview
Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, 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, South Africa
Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Curacao, Ghana, Haiti, New Zealand, four European playoff winners, two intercontinental playoff winners
Uzbekistan, the first-time entrants, will be in Pot 3, while Jordan and Cape Verde will be in Pot 4.
Draw Rules and Restrictions
FIFA has announced that to ensure an even competition, very strict regulations will be in place:
- No confederation will have more than one team in the same group, apart from UEFA having 16 teams.
- Each group must contain at least one, but no more than two UEFA teams.
- Playoff placeholders in Pot 4 will be inserted with confederation restrictions applied to all teams in their pathways.
Pathway Protection for Top Seeds
FIFA has confirmed that the top four seeds — Argentina, Spain, France, and England — cannot meet until at least the semifinals. To achieve this, Spain and Argentina will be drawn into opposite knockout pathways, and the same rule applies to France and England.
The tournament design with this order will keep the competition even and attract the public throughout the event.
What Happens After the Draw?
The draw not only decides group placements — it also finalizes every team’s roadmap to the final, assigning their potential opponents round by round. FIFA is set to release the updated full match schedule, including stadiums and kickoff times, on Saturday, December 6.
Given the expanded format and 16 host cities, this schedule release will be crucial for fans planning travel, broadcasters lining up coverage, and teams analyzing their logistical pathways.
A Milestone Moment on the Road to 2026
Friday’s ceremony in Washington DC marks one of the most anticipated steps toward the first-ever 48-team World Cup. The draw brings together officials and coaches from every qualified nation — and those still fighting through playoffs.
From the hosts’ confirmed positions to the debut of new nations, the 2026 World Cup draw promises unpredictability, intensity, and storylines that will dominate global football conversations for months. The journey to New York, New Jersey – where the final will be held on July 19, 2026, officially begins now.