WASHINGTON, DC: The highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage was confirmed on Friday during a dazzling final draw ceremony held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. The event officially set the stage for the expanded 48-team tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
The World Cup will kick off on June 11, 2026, with hosts Mexico opening the tournament against South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The draw delivered several headline-grabbing matchups, including Brazil vs Morocco, Netherlands vs Japan, and a nostalgic France vs Senegal encounter—revisiting their memorable 2002 clash.
Canada and the United States will begin their campaigns on Day 2, facing a UEFA playoff winner and Paraguay respectively, with matches scheduled in Toronto and Los Angeles.
Reigning champions Argentina landed in Group J alongside Algeria, Austria and Jordan, while five-time champions Brazil were placed in a challenging Group C with Morocco, Haiti and Scotland.
England will start their World Cup journey against Croatia, the team that eliminated them in the 2018 semifinals, and will also face Ghana and Panama in Group L.
In a significant update to World Cup seeding rules, FIFA granted the top four ranked teams—Spain, Argentina, France and England—special placements, ensuring they cannot meet before the semifinals, provided they top their groups.
This edition marks the first 48-team World Cup, divided into 12 groups of four, across 16 host cities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The tournament will feature 104 matches and conclude on July 19, 2026, with the final in New Jersey.
Full FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage Draw
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Winner of UEFA Playoff D
Group B: Canada, Winner of UEFA Playoff A, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Winner of UEFA Playoff C
Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Winner of UEFA Playoff B, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Winner of FIFA Playoff 2, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Winner of FIFA Playoff 1, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
UEFA Playoff Paths:
- Playoff A: Italy, Wales, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Northern Ireland
- Playoff B: Ukraine, Poland, Albania, Sweden
- Playoff C: Turkey, Slovakia, Kosovo, Romania
- Playoff D: Denmark, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland, North Macedonia
FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Paths:
- Playoff 1: DR Congo, Jamaica, New Caledonia
- Playoff 2: Iraq, Bolivia, Suriname
