The 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage draw is happening tomorrow, December 5, at 12 p.m. ET in Washington, D.C. The event will determine the 12 groups for the quadrennial tournament, which will feature 48 teams, the highest number in the competition’s history.
The draw will be held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and former players in attendance.
The 42 teams that have already qualified will learn their group stage opponents, while the remaining six teams will be determined through playoffs in March 2026.
The teams have been divided into four pots of 12, with the top-ranked teams, including Spain, Argentina, France, and England, in Pot 1. The host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the USA, are also in Pot 1 and have been pre-assigned to Groups B, A, and D, respectively.
The draw will follow a tennis-style seeding system, ensuring that the top four teams are separated and cannot meet until the semifinals, if they win their groups. The teams will be drawn into 12 groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage, along with the eight best third-placed teams.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with matches scheduled to take place in 16 cities across the three countries.
The tournament is set to begin on June 11, 2026, and will feature 104 matches, the most in the competition’s history.
