FIFA Confirms 2026 World Cup Draw Pots and Procedures, With Brazil Seeded in Pot 1

Overview

• The seeded Pot 1 features hosts Mexico, Canada and the United States alongside Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
• The 2026 tournament will field 48 teams in 12 groups of four, with group winners and runners-up plus the eight best third-placed teams moving into a 32-team knockout stage.
• Draw operations begin with the hosts fixed as A1 (Mexico), B1 (Canada) and D1 (United States) before pots are emptied sequentially from 1 to 4.
• FIFA’s constraints cap groups at two European teams, keep same-confederation teams apart otherwise, and place the highest-ranked teams within each pot on opposite paths.
• Forty-two teams have qualified, with four UEFA and two intercontinental playoff winners to complete Pot 4, a set that could include Italy if it advances.