Overview
- FIFA will stage the group-stage draw on Friday at the Kennedy Center in Washington, with Argentina confirmed in Pot 1 as a head of group.
- Lionel Messi said Argentina will “try again” to win the title but kept his own participation day to day, and local reporting suggests he will skip the draw to focus on Inter Miami’s MLS Cup final against Vancouver.
- The 2026 World Cup expands to 48 teams in 12 groups of four, with the top two and eight best third-placed teams advancing, hosts pre-assigned to Groups A, B and D, and limits on same-confederation matchups.
- Assistant coach Roberto Ayala described a calm, analytical buildup to the draw and noted that ranking-based seeding is designed to keep the highest-rated teams apart until late in the knockout rounds.
- Emelec officially terminated Christian Cueva’s contract, and the coach said the midfielder has an arrangement to return to Peru in 2026, with a move to Juan Pablo II reported but not yet announced.