When is the 2026 World Cup draw?

"The draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place on Friday, 5 December at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, at 17:00 GMT (12:00 local time). It will be the biggest World Cup yet, with 48 nations taking part - an expansion from 32. The three host countries qualify automatically, while nations from other confederations have their own qualifying campaigns. The first Fifa Peace Prize will also be awarded by the organisation's president Gianni Infantino on the day of the draw."

"The 48 participating teams will be placed into pots based on Fifa rankings and confederation constraints. The teams will be divided into four pots of 12 teams. Each group will have one team drawn from each pot. Pot one includes the host nations and the nine top countries in the Fifa world rankings. Pots two, three and four will include the next-best ranked teams - so in theory, each group should be balanced."

"However, the six play-off winners are expected to be placed into Pot four and the Uefa teams are likely to have a higher world ranking than the automatic qualifiers. The teams representing the host counties will be assigned to positions A1- Mexico, B1 - Canada and D1 - USA. Teams from the same confederation, apart from Uefa, cannot be drawn in the same group. No more than two teams from Uefa will be in the same group."

The draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place 5 December in Washington DC. The tournament expands to 48 nations, from 11 June to 19 July across the USA, Mexico and Canada. The three host countries qualify automatically and will occupy positions A1 (Mexico), B1 (Canada) and D1 (USA). Teams will be placed into four pots of 12 based on Fifa rankings and confederation constraints, with play-off winners expected in Pot four. Teams from the same confederation, except Uefa, cannot share a group and no more than two Uefa teams may be grouped together. The first Fifa Peace Prize will be awarded on draw day. As of 18 November 2025 qualified teams include the three hosts and multiple African and Asian qualifiers.

Read at www.bbc.com