The 2026 World Cup is shaping up to be one of the biggest tournaments in football history, with an expanded format of 48 teams and venues spread across three countries. While national teams continue their qualifying campaigns, attention is focused on the highly anticipated final. World Cup Draw 2026, where the fate of the participants will be defined.
Here we offer you all the detailed information about the date, the place, the draws and how you can follow this crucial event live.
When and where is the 2026 World Cup Draw?
The ceremony to determine the World Cup groups will be held in an iconic location, bringing together the most important figures in global football.
- Date: Friday, December 5 of 2025
- Time: 12:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM GMT
- Location: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC
How to watch the draw live?
El World Cup Draw 2026 It will be broadcast globally so no fan misses a thing. You can follow it live across various platforms.
- Online Streaming: The event will be available on FIFA's official website and on its YouTube channel.
- TV channels:
- United States: FOX and Telemundo.
- United Kingdom: BBC and ITV.
- Glen: TSN.
- Mexico: Univision.
- ORE: bein Sports.
Furthermore, Afun It will offer minute-by-minute coverage with all the updates on the draw.
These are the pots for the 2026 World Cup Draw
The draw for the first 48-team World Cup will use four pots, each containing 12 teams, organized according to their FIFA ranking. World Cup Draw 202642 of the 48 participating teams will be revealed.
- Pot 1: It will include the three hosts (United States, Mexico, and Canada) and the nine highest-ranked teams in the FIFA rankings. The hosts have already been pre-assigned to groups D1, A1, and B1, respectively.
- Pots 2, 3 and 4: These pots will contain the next 36 teams ranked according to their FIFA ranking. They will also include reserved spaces for the six teams that will qualify through the March 2026 playoffs.
| Drum 1 | Drum 2 | Drum 3 | Drum 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (D1) | Croatia | Norway | Jordan |
| Canada (B1) | Morocco | Panama | Cape Verde |
| Mexico (A1) | Colombia | Egypt | Ghana |
| Spain | Uruguay | Algeria | Curazao |
| Argentina | Switzerland | Scotland | Haiti |
| France | Japan | Paraguay | New Zealand |
| England | Senegal | Tunisia | UEFA Play-off Winners |
| Brazil | Iran | Ivory Coast | UEFA Play-off Winners |
| Portugal | South Korea | Uzbekistan | UEFA Play-off Winners |
| Netherlands | Ecuador | Qatar | UEFA Play-off Winners |
| Belgium | Austria | Saudi Arabia | IC Play-off Winners |
| Germany, | Australia | South Africa | IC Play-off Winners |
(Note: The composition of the pots is a projection and may change according to the final FIFA ranking and the results of the qualifiers).
Key Dates of the 2026 World Cup
The tournament will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
- Inaugural Match: June 11, 2026, at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
- Final: July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Frequently Asked Questions about the World Cup
- How many teams participate in the World Cup? Starting with the 2026 edition, the tournament will feature 48 teams, a significant increase from the 32 teams that participated in Qatar 2022.
- Who is the all-time top scorer in World Cup history? German Miroslav Klose, with 16 goals in 24 games.
- Who holds the record for most appearances? Lionel Messi, having played 26 matches for Argentina in five editions.
- Which team has won the most World Cups? Brazil is the most successful country in the history of the World Cup, with five titles.
