WThere are only six months left until the start of the 2026 World Cup, and excitement is already building. The tournament will officially open on June 11th in Mexico City, but before the matches begin, one of the most awaited moments will arrive: the group stage draw.
A total of 42 teams have already qualified out of the 48 spots, and their paths will be decided on December 5th, when FIFA will hold the official lottery. The remaining six spots will be decided in March through UEFA qualifying and intercontinental play-offs.
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When and where will the 2026 World Cup draw be held?
The draw will take place on Friday 5th December at 17:00 GMT (12:00 ET, 22:30 IST, Saturday 04:00 AEDT). The venue will be the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, one of the most iconic cultural institutions in the United States.
FIFA is preparing an event that follows the new tournament format, and for the first time, 48 teams will take part, divided into 12 groups of four.
How can I watch the draw live?
In the US, it can be seen on Fox and Fubo.
Additionally, the event will be available to watch for free worldwide on FIFA.com and the official FIFA YouTube channel. ESPN will also provide live coverage.
The lottery for the 48 teams will be as follows:
The 48 teams, including the playoff teams, will be divided into four pots of 12 teams each. Rankings will be determined according to the FIFA rankings as of November 19th, with the highest ranked team in Pot 1, the next in Pot 2, and so on.
Host countries United States, Mexico and Canada automatically go into pot 1 and have already been assigned groups. Teams from the same pot cannot be in the same group.
Drawing order and group assignment
The process begins with Pot 1, but the three hosts have already decided on their spots and schedules for the group stage. Each country is placed in a preset position and the remaining positions in the pot are filled.
This process is then repeated for pots 2, 3, and 4, completing each pot before moving on to the next. Groups are entered alphabetically.
Historical twist: Tennis-style format to avoid early clashes
FIFA introduced unprecedented changes this year. It’s a “tennis-style ranking” system that orders the route of the tournament. This means the top four teams – Spain, Argentina, France and England – will be placed in opposite groups and will not be able to play against each other until the semi-finals as long as they win their groups.
While this approach is intended to balance the competition and avoid clashes between favorites in the early rounds, this decision could significantly change the course of the tournament.
