Canada (no. 1 seed), USA (no. 2), Slovakia (no. 3), and Finland (no. 4) all earned byes to the quarterfinals, where they'll await the winners of Tuesday's play-in games. Canada and the United States were the only two teams to go undefeated in their three preliminary round games. Canada got the number one seed by winning their three games a combined 20-3, just edging out the USA's combined scores of 17-5.
Next summer's tournament, which will kick off June 11 in Mexico City with Mexico facing South Africa, will be the largest, most complex single-sport competition in history, with 48 teams playing 104 games across three countries before the July 19 final in East Rutherford, N.J. It will also be the first World Cup to be played in the U.S. in 32 years. And for the players, that means everything.
The 2026 World Cup draw will begin Friday with a wintry feel as snow fell outside the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 189 days ahead of an expanded 48-nation tournament. There were long lines outside the complex even at 7 a.m. as workers and media filed through with Secret Service agents securing the area. President Donald Trump of the U.S. and Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico were expected to attend along with Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney.
CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS (Matches at 12:30 p.m. unless noted) MONDAY'S SCHEDULE First Round DIVISION I #1 LA Marshall, bye#9 Cleveland at #8 Wilmington Banning#12 LACES at #5 GALA#4 Eagle Rock, bye#3 North Hollywood, bye#11 SOCES at #6 Van Nuys#10 Taft at #7 San Pedro #2 Chatsworth, bye DIVISION II #16 Fairfax at #1 Granada Hills Kennedy#9 LA University at #8 New West#12 Sylmar at #5 Franklin#13 Verdugo Hills at #3 Bell#14 LA Wilson at #3 Gardena#11 Jefferson at #6 Downtown Magnet#10 Legacy at #7 Grant
The EFL Cup 2025/26 features seven potential rounds of matches for Championship, League One, and League Two teams, and a maximum of six for Premier League clubs.
