Teams find out where they are traveling to and whom they are playing
England will face Croatia, Ghana and Panama at next year’s FIFA World Cup 2026 after being placed in Group L during today’s draw.
The draw took place at the John F. Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts in Washington, DC, USA.
The 42 qualified nations were involved in the draw alongside a vacant six spaces that will be filled next year following the play-offs, which are scheduled to take place in March 2026 to complete the full line-up of 48 teams at the World Cup.
The draw
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, Winner of Play-Off D
Group B: Canada, Winner of Play-Off A, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Winner of Play-Off C
Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Winner of Play-Off B, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, IR Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Winner of Play-Off 2, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Winner of Play-Off 1, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
The USA hosted an elaborate and fabulous draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC determining the initial group stage matchups for the expanded 48 team tournament.
FIFA World Cup draw on Friday, Dec. 5 revealed the groups and bracket for the 2026 tournament in North America, with some of the new s at play as the qualified field spread to 48 teams.
The 12 groups were drawn from four pots based on world rankings with the USA, Mexico and Canada placed in the first group as the tournament’s co-hosts, practically guaranteeing the hosts easier path out of the group stage.
Additionally, the top four teams – Spain, Argentina, France and England – were spread out in separate groups to avoid their clashing before the semifinals.
Sports legends were used as draw assistants alongside former England captain Rio Ferdinand and broadcaster Samantha Johnson to add razzmatazz and splurges of color here and there to already stars spangled tournament that will showcase the earth’s bests footballing skills ever.
Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal and more were all there to add additional glitter to the snazzy.
Joining Ferdinand, the event’s host, FIFA rolled out several American sports who-is-who to help unfurl the matchups, and it was just as well. Here are who were at the party:
- Tom Brady, 7-time NFL Super Bowl Champion
- Shaquille O’Neal, 4-time NBA championship winner and Hall of Famer
- Wayne Gretzky, 4-time Stanley Cup champion and Hall of Famer
- Aaron Judge, 7-time MLB All-Star
Plenty of politicians and sports stars will be at World Cup draw
President Trump, along with Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, were all in attendance for the World Cup draw, but some notable sports stars will actually be helping on stage.
Former England soccer captain Rio Ferdinand actually ran the draw, and it was clear FIFA wanted to play up to its North American hosts by bringing in familiar sports stars.
Tom Brady, Aaron Judge, Shaquille O’Neal and Wayne Gretzky helped Ferdinand on stage during the draw.
Trump played a central role in the draw and received FIFA’s newly created peace prize after FIFA President Gianni Infantino describing Trump as a “close friend” last month.
World Cup draw pots
- Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
- Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
- Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
- Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, UEFA playoff A, B, C and D, FIFA playoff tournament 1 and 2
How the pots worked:
Entering the draw, the 48 teams were placed into four pots of 12 based on the November FIFA world rankings. The final six countries (from the various playoffs) were in the fourth pot by default, irrespective of who ended up qualifying.
As the co-hosts, the USA, Canada and Mexico were placed into the first pot by disregard, alongside the event’s nine highest-ranked teams.
Except Europe (16 places), no continental federation can have more than a team in each group.
FIFA modified the draw for 2026 to create separate pathways to the semifinals for the four-highest ranked teams: Spain, Argentina, France and England. That means if Spain and Argentina win their groups, the world’s Nos. 1 and 2 teams can not meet prior to the final.
Below were the pot assignments in clearer view:
World Cup draw pots
- Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
- Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
- Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
- Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, UEFA playoff A, B, C and D, FIFA playoff tournament 1 and 2
