US EditionHow Does the World Cup Draw Work? The AP Explains FIFA's Process for Dividing Teams Into Groups
The expanded 48-team format will be divided into 12 groups of four with seeding, confederation rules, and host placements to balance competition, FIFA said.
- On Friday, FIFA holds the World Cup draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., to divide the 48-team field into 12 groups, starting at 12 p.m. ET.
- Based on FIFA rankings as of Nov. 19, teams were seeded into four pots of 12, with co-hosts Canada, Mexico and the United States automatically in Pot 1 and six placeholders in Pot 4 for playoff winners decided by March.
- Under draw rules, Mexico is in Group A, Canada in Group B, and United States in Group D; FIFA uses a sequential method from Pot 2 to Pot 4, ensuring confederation limits and top seeds avoid meeting before semifinals.
- A full schedule reveal on Saturday will include venues and game times at noon ET, and FIFA will assign matches to the 16 World Cup host cities once groups are finalized.
- With the tournament enlarged by 50, newcomers like Curaçao and Italy's uncertain playoff paths highlight the wider variance in group strength at the 2026 World Cup.
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35 Articles
Friday the groups will be raffled for the 2026 World Cup with prominent support.
On Friday the groups will be drawn for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Here's the overview.
The draw of the 48-team World Championship takes place on Friday in Washington, D.C., just over six months from the launch of the 2026 edition.
The Mexican National Team already knows a part of its destination in the 2026 World Cup: it will be head of Group A, as confirmed in its official procedure of the FIFA draw.The designation is due to its host status, shared with Canada and the United States, who will occupy positions B1 and D1, respectively.The Tri, located in Bombo 1 of the FIFA draw for the 2026 World Cup, will avoid in the initial phase elite selections such as Spain, Argentin…
Sydney Morning Herald
The AgeThe World Cup draw looms large. Here’s what fans, and the Socceroos, can expect
The 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico doesn’t begin for another seven months - but really, it starts here, with Saturday’s (AEDT) draw in Washington DC. Here’s everything you need to know.
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