Representational image. (FIFA)
The long wait for football fans will finally end on Friday, December 5, when the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC. The event is expected to see the presence of United States President Donald Trump, and will also feature the announcement of the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize.
This draw will set the stage for the biggest World Cup ever. For the first time in its 96-year history, the tournament will have 48 teams instead of the usual 32. The 2026 edition will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, and will run from June 11 to July 19 next year.
So far, 42 teams have booked their place. The remaining six will qualify through playoffs. Four teams will come through the UEFA playoffs in Europe, while two more will secure their spots through the intercontinental playoff tournament.
The 48 qualified and playoff-bound teams have been placed into four pots of 12 teams each, based on their seeding. During the draw, they will be divided into 12 groups, with each group containing one team from each pot.
Mexico, Canada and the USA, the three host nations, have already been assigned fixed positions in the draw. Mexico will lead Group A as A1, Canada will take B1, and the USA will be placed in D1.
To maintain what FIFA calls “competitive balance,” the top four ranked teams have been separated into different pathways to the final. Spain and Argentina, the two highest-ranked sides, will be placed on opposite sides of the knockout bracket. France and England, ranked third and fourth, will also be kept apart until the final. This means Spain and France could meet in one semifinal, while England and Argentina could clash in the other.
As per the draw rules, no group will have more than one team from the same continent, except Europe, which has 16 teams. Every group will include at least one European team.
The draw ceremony will begin at 10:30 PM IST (12:00 PM local time, 17:00 GMT) and will be streamed live on FIFA.com and FIFA’s official YouTube channel.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
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