Overview
- FIFA will stage the draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Friday, December 5 at 12 p.m. EST.
- Pot 1 includes the three hosts plus the nine highest-ranked qualified teams, with Mexico in Group A, Canada in Group B and the United States in Group C; no group can contain more than two European teams.
- Twenty-eight nations have secured places, including the co-hosts and heavyweights such as Argentina, Brazil and England, with more qualifiers to be confirmed in the coming days.
- UEFA will award its final four berths via a 16-team playoff featuring single-leg semifinals and finals on March 26 and March 31, 2026.
- The last two World Cup spots will come from a six-team inter-confederation Play-Off Tournament in March 2026, while CAF and AFC runner-up playoffs this week decide entrants for that event.