2026 World Cup

FIFA has officially confirmed the four pots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Draw, which will take place on Friday, December 5, 2025, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The event will determine the 12 groups of four teams each for the expanded 48-team tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The pots are based on the latest FIFA men’s world rankings as of November 2025, with the three host nations (Canada, Mexico, and USA) placed in Pot 1 alongside the top nine ranked teams. The remaining spots include 42 qualified teams and six placeholders for playoff winners from UEFA (four) and the intercontinental playoffs (two).

2026 World Cup Pots

2026 World Cup Pots

Pot 1 (Hosts + Top 9 Ranked Teams):
Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany

Pot 2:
Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia

Pot 3:
Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa

Pot 4 (Playoff Winners + Lowest Ranked):
Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Off A, B, C & D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 & 2

Key Draw Rules and Innovations

  • Group Composition: Each group will include one team from each pot to ensure geographical and competitive balance.
  • Elite Seeding Protection: The top four seeds (Spain #1, Argentina #2, France #3, England #4) will be placed in separate sections of a tennis-style bracket. If they finish top of their groups, they cannot meet until the semifinals—similar to the FIFA Club World Cup format. This prevents early clashes like Spain vs. Argentina or France vs. England. However, group stage failures remove this protection in knockouts.
  • Confederation Limits: No group can have more than two UEFA teams (Europe) or more than one from CONMEBOL, AFC, CAF, or CONCACAF (excluding hosts). Playoff winners in Pot 4 are assigned confederation-neutral slots to comply.
  • Host Nation Placement: Canada, Mexico, and USA are pre-positioned in Groups A, B, and C (respectively) for Position 1, using differently colored balls in the draw.
  • Position Pre-Determination: Unlike past draws, team positions within groups (1-4) are fixed to balance the schedule and venue distribution—no random assignment.
  • Draw Timeline: The ceremony lasts about 90 minutes, starting at 5 p.m. ET. The full match schedule, including stadiums and kickoff times across 16 venues (11 in USA, 3 in Mexico, 2 in Canada), will be released on December 6. Venues are locked since 2024, with no changes expected despite political shifts.

Tournament Format Reminder

  • 48 Teams, 104 Matches: 12 groups of 4; top two per group + eight best third-placers advance to Round of 32.
  • Dates: June 11 to July 19, 2026.
  • England Twist: As a European team in Pot 1, England could be assigned one match in Canada or Mexico for balance.

This draw promises fireworks, with potential loaded groups like USA drawing Morocco (Pot 2), Norway (Pot 3), and Ghana (Pot 4). With 42 teams locked in and playoffs concluding in March 2026, the stage is set for history’s biggest World Cup.