The stage is officially set for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Friday’s group stage draw as all 42 qualified nations and the remaining playoff hopefuls discovered their fate.
The expansion of world soccer’s most prestigious tournament means more competitors, matches and, with any luck, entertainment than ever before. The knockout phase is usually where things heat up, but an enticing group stage draw suggests there will be drama at every stage of the competition.
Some were luckier than others on Friday as 12 groups of four were randomly allocated. Participants and their supporters were either left celebrating wildly or cursing their misfortune as events unfolded at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Here are the winners and losers from the 2026 World Cup group stage draw.
Winners From Group Stage Draw
Mexico
Co-hosts Mexico couldn’t have asked for a much kinder draw in Group A.
Their opening fixture is a repeat of the first game at the 2010 World Cup when they take on South Africa, FIFA’s lowest-ranked side from Pot 3. El Tri will be aiming to better the 1–1 draw they managed at the first ever African-hosted World Cup and get off to a flying start before trickier tests.
A clash with South Korea is also on the cards—a fixture which took place at the 2018 and 1998 World Cups—and will push Mexico to their limits, but Javier Aguirre’s side will be favorites, despite their recent form, given they’re seven places above the Asian side in the FIFA rankings.
Mexico don’t know their fourth opponents but it will be one of Denmark, North Macedonia, Republic of Ireland or Czechia. They will want North Macedonia in a dream scenario, but are most likely to face Denmark—FIFA’s 21st highest-ranked nation.
| Group Stage Opponent | Pot |
|---|---|
| South Korea | 2 |
| South Africa | 3 |
| Denmark/North Macedonia or Republic of Ireland/Czechia | 4 |
Canada
Canada’s third-ever appearance at a World Cup should see them make it beyond the group stage. They have been gifted a fairly straightforward group on paper, albeit containing some potentially awkward match-ups.
From Pot 2, Switzerland is one of the better draws for Jesse Marsch’s side, although they’re ten places above Canada in FIFA rankings. They have only clashed once before all the way back in 2002.
2022 hosts Qatar were the third-weakest nation in Pot 3 and are also in Group B with Canada, who were triumphant in the only previous meeting with the AFC outfit back in 2022.
Things get tougher, rather ironically, when it comes to Pot 4. The winner of UEFA playoff path A will reside in Canada’s group, and that very well could be Italy. Marsch will be hoping Wales, Bosnia & Herzegovina or Northern Ireland can spring a surprise there.
| Group Stage Opponent | Pot |
|---|---|
| Switzerland | 2 |
| Qatar | 3 |
| Italy/Northern Ireland or Wales/Bosnia & Herzegovina | 4 |
USMNT
All three hosts have been handed favorable groups, but the USMNT have the simplest of the bunch.
They face the lowest-ranked side in Pot 2 in Australia, whom they beat in a friendly back in October and sit 12 places higher than in the rankings. They managed to avoid problematic matches with the likes of Colombia, Uruguay and Croatia.
Pot 3 was also kind to Mauricio Pochettino’s men as they will come up against Paraguay. The South Americans hadn’t qualified since 2010 and only finished sixth out of ten teams in CONMEBOL qualifying.
The USMNT will face a European side but have been drawn against one of the easier playoff pathways. A match-up with one of Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo lies in wait for Group D’s highest-ranked nation.
| Group Stage Opponent | Pot |
|---|---|
| Australia | 2 |
| Paraguay | 3 |
| Türkiye/Romania or Slovakia/Kosovo | 4 |
Losers From Group Stage Draw
Netherlands
The Netherlands can count themselves unlucky. While there are no earth-shattering matches to come for the Oranje during the group stage, they will face some fierce and, most importantly, experienced foes.
Japan beat both Spain and Germany at the 2022 World Cup and will prove a handful for Ronald Koeman’s side in Group F. The Pot 2 outfit have made it beyond the group stage in three of the last four World Cups.
Tunisia are also no joke. They earned a draw with Brazil in a friendly just last month and are 40th in FIFA rankings after going unbeaten in qualifying—winning nine of their ten matches.
The Dutch also failed to avoid a European opponent. They will face the winner of UEFA playoff Path B and that could mean clashes with either Sweden or Poland—the latter securing two draws with the Netherlands in qualifying. They will be keen to see Albania or Ukraine qualify for the group stage.
| Group Stage Opponent | Pot |
|---|---|
| Japan | 2 |
| Tunisia | 3 |
| Ukraine/Sweden or Poland/Albania | 4 |
France
France will almost certainly qualify for the knockout phase despite a difficult group, but their life has been made more challenging than it could have been.
That’s mainly down to the presence of Pot 3’s Norway in Group I, with Erling Haaland and Co. considered one of the competition’s dark horses. They won all eight qualifying matches and battered Italy twice in the process.
Pot 2 challengers Senegal will be no pushovers, either. Les Bleus still have nightmares about their infamous opening game defeat to the African side at the 2002 tournament, which remains one of the competition’s greatest shocks. Senegal thrashed World Cup contenders England in a friendly back in June, too.
They will also face the winner of the second inter-continental play-off pathway, meaning a fairly routine match-up against Suriname, Iraq or Bolivia.
| Group Stage Opponent | Pot |
|---|---|
| Senegal | 2 |
| Norway | 3 |
| Suriname/Iraq/Bolivia | 4 |
England
England’s group is certainly not the ‘Group of Death’, but it will pose some dilemmas. Thomas Tuchel’s side will not have it all their own way.
An opening match with Croatia, the 2022 semifinalists, 2018 runners-up and highest-ranked Pot 2 nation, is incredibly tricky and will offer supporters sleepless nights following England’s last four defeat to their fellow Europeans back in Russia.
Panama, who England also faced in 2018 and did admittedly beat 6–1, are not the easiest draw, either. They were the second-highest ranked nation in Pot 3, behind only Norway, and will have revenge on the mind.
| Group Stage Opponent | Pot |
|---|---|
| Croatia | 2 |
| Panama | 3 |
| Ghana | 4 |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Winners and Losers From Celebrity Laden 2026 World Cup Draw.
