2026 World Cup draw confirmed for December 5 in Washington
The countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is heating up. FIFA officially announced that the group stage draw for the tournament which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada will take place on December 5 (Friday) at the prestigious Kennedy Center cultural center in Washington, D.C. The event starts at 1 p.m. (Brasília time).
Infantino hails “historic draw”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted the importance of the occasion:
“We are thrilled to be celebrating the most anticipated draw in World Cup history in the cultural and entertainment hub of the United States.”
Qualified teams so far
A total of 48 nations will compete in this edition, a record compared to the 32 of previous tournaments. The teams already guaranteed in the competition are:
- Argentina (defending champions)
- Brazil, Ecuador (South America)
- Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, New Zealand, Uzbekistan (Asia & Oceania)
- Mexico, USA, Canada (hosts)
Jordan and Uzbekistan will make their debut appearances.
New format and more matches
The 2026 World Cup will introduce a 12 groups of 4 teams format. The two best in each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance to the knockouts.
- Total matches: 104 (40 more than Qatar 2022)
- Matches to become champion: 7
- Opening game: June 11, 2026, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City
Road to kickoff
- March 2025 – Playoff tournament in North America
- April 30, 2025 – FIFA Congress in Vancouver
- June 11, 2026 – Opening match in Mexico City
