Overview
- FIFA will stage the official draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5, determining group placements for the expanded tournament.
- Cameroon, DR Congo, Gabon and Nigeria are contesting a single-site mini-tournament in Rabat this week to decide Africa’s representative for the intercontinental playoff.
- The six-team intercontinental playoff runs March 23–31, 2026, with two seeded teams entering at the final stage and two winners claiming the last World Cup places.
- UEFA’s path features 12 group winners qualifying directly, with 12 runners-up plus four Nations League teams forming a 16-team playoff in March 2026 to award four additional European spots.
- The 48-team World Cup runs June 11 to July 19, 2026, with the opener at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and matches spread across 16 host venues in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.