Next summer’s big World Cup kickoff suddenly feels a lot closer now.
Ahead of the 2026 group stage draw, FIFA president Gianni Infantino promised “104 Super Bowls” over the course of five weeks at the first ever 48-team tournament in June and July across three nations, as he made an opening speech to the crowd at Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center on Friday.
Just over 30 years ago, the United States opened its doors to the soccer world and now the time has come again. On home soil, Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT will be hoping to leave a mark, just as the Class or ’94 did by escaping the group stage for the first time in the modern era. Christian Pulisic and co. got as far as the Round of 16 four years ago in Qatar and will be hoping to at least match that.
In 2026, the USMNT must face Paraguay first up, then Australia and then the playoff winner out of Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo or Türkiye. This will be a huge opportunity to finish top of the standings and build some good momentum into the knockouts.
Mexico fell short of expectations in 2022, eliminated at the group stage to break a run of seven successive knockout appearances. They will open the entire World Cup this time against South Africa, in a repeat of the 2010 opening game. South Korea and a European playoff winner (Czechia, Republic of Ireland, North Macedonia or Denmark) complete Group A.
Canada are still searching for a first win in a World Cup match and will hope to do themselves justice against 2022 hosts Qatar, Switzerland and the European playoff A winner (Wales, Italy, Bosnia & Herzegovina or Northern Ireland).
It’s the battle of two of the world’s greatest strikers in Group I as Kylian Mbappé’s France was drawn with Erling Haaland’s Norway. Senegal are also involved along with the FIFA playoff winner from the trio of Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq.
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi comes into this World Cup as a reigning champion with Argentina, who must navigate first round fixtures against Algeria, Austria and Jordan if they are to have a chance of repeating in 2026. It is set to be a comfortable start for the holders.
This World Cup will almost certainly be Cristiano Ronaldo’s final chance. Portugal are to face Colombia, Uzbekistan and whoever wins the inter-confederation playoff between Jamaica, New Caledonia and DR Congo.
Brazil have 2022 surprise package Morocco, and Scotland, with all three previously drawn together in 1998. Haiti complete that group. The Seleção are the most successful country in World Cup history with five wins since their first in 1958, but it’s been a long wait since their most recent in 2002.
Next year marks six decades since England lifted the old World Cup trophy at home in 1966. They are among the favorites, but Croatia is a tough start. They thrashed Panama in the group stage in 2018, and will also face Ghana.
Spain beat the Three Lions in last year’s Euro 2024 final, so can Lamine Yamal now step up on the global stage? They face Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, before finishing on Uruguay, which could be a tasty battle in the third group fixture.
How the FIFA World Cup Group Stage Draw Worked
After a good deal of preamble that included a musical opening, a presidential address from FIFA chief Infantino, another musical interlude, a Peace Prize presented to U.S. President Donald Trump, presentation of the World Cup trophy, a third musical number and a lengthy skit featuring draw host Rio Ferdinand and a group of schoolchildren outlining the process, the actual draw began.
There was nothing to get too confused over.
The 48 teams—including six yet to be determined qualifiers awaiting further playoffs in March—were split in advance of the draw into four pots, based on their FIFA ranking.
Pot 1 included the three co-hosts and the top nine nations, with Pots 2, 3 and 4 filled accordingly. The six unknown teams were included in top four, regardless of rank. It was then one team per pot draw into each group, with a minimum of one in each from Europe, but a maximum of two. No other countries could be drawn into the same group as another from their confederation.
In the interest of “competitive balance,” FIFA had also decided beforehand to split up the top-ranked nations—Spain, Argentina, France, England—ensuring they cannot meet until at least the semifinals if all four win their respective group as expected.
Group A
| Team | Previous Best Finish |
|---|---|
| Mexico | Quarterfinals: 1970, 1986 |
| South Africa | Group stage: 1998, 2002, 2010 |
| South Korea | Fourth place: 2002 |
| UEFA playoff D winner | N/A |
UEFA Playoff D Teams: Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, Republic of Ireland
Group B
| Team | Previous Best Finish |
|---|---|
| Canada | Group stage: 1986, 2022 |
| UEFA playoff A winner | N/A |
| Qatar | Group stage: 2022 |
| Switzerland | Quarterfinals: 1934, 1938, 1954 |
UEFA Playoff A Teams: Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C
| Team | Previous Best Finish |
|---|---|
| Brazil | Winner: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002 |
| Morocco | Fourth place: 2022 |
| Haiti | Group stage: 1974 |
| Scotland | Group stage: 1954, 1958, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998 |
Group D
| Team | Previous Best Finish |
|---|---|
| United States | Third place: 1930 |
| Paraguay | Quarterfinals: 2010 |
| Australia | Round of 16: 2006, 2022 |
| UEFA playoff C winner | N/A |
UEFA Playoff C Teams: Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo
Group E
| Team | Previous Best Finish |
|---|---|
| Germany | Winner: 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014 |
| Curaçao | First time qualifier |
| Ivory Coast | Group stage: 2006, 2010, 2014 |
| Ecuador | Round of 16: 2006 |
Group F
| Team | Previous Best Finish |
|---|---|
| Netherlands | Runner-up: 1974, 1978, 2010 |
| Japan | Round of 16: 2002, 2010, 2018, 2022 |
| UEFA playoff B winner | N/A |
| Tunisia | Group stage: 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022 |
UEFA Playoff B Teams: Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania
Group G
| Team | Previous Best Finish |
|---|---|
| Belgium | Third place: 2018 |
| Egypt | Round of 16: 1934 |
| Iran | Group stage: 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022 |
| New Zealand | Group stage: 1982, 2010 |
Group H
| Team | Previous Best Finish |
|---|---|
| Spain | Winner: 2010 |
| Cape Verde | First time qualifier |
| Saudi Arabia | Round of 16: 1994 |
| Uruguay | Winner: 1930, 1950 |
Group I
| Team | Previous Best Finish |
|---|---|
| France | Winner: 1998, 2018 |
| Senegal | Quarterfinals: 2002 |
| FIFA playoff 2 winner | N/A |
| Norway | Round of 16: 1938, 1998 |
FIFA Playoff 2 Teams: Bolivia, Suriname, Iraq
Group J
| Team | Previous Best Finish |
|---|---|
| Argentina | Winner: 1978, 1986, 2022 |
| Algeria | Round of 16: 2014 |
| Austria | Third place: 1954 |
| Jordan | First time qualifier |
Group K
| Team | Previous Best Finish |
|---|---|
| Portugal | Third place: 1966 |
| FIFA playoff 1 winner | N/A |
| Uzbekistan | First time qualifier |
| Colombia | Quarterfinals: 2014 |
FIFA Playoff 1 Teams: New Caledonia, Jamaica, DR Congo
Group L
| Team | Previous Best Finish |
|---|---|
| England | Winner: 1966 |
| Croatia | Runner-up: 2018 |
| Ghana | Quarterfinals: 2010 |
| Panama | Group stage: 2018 |
When Will the 2026 World Cup Start?
It’s not long to go at all now. Mexico will play the first of 104 games at this expanded World Cup against South Africa in Group A on June 11 at the iconic Estadio Azetca in Mexico City.
The final takes place just over a month later on July 19 at MetLife Stadium.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2026 World Cup Draw in Full: USMNT Handed Winnable Group .
