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FIFA Confirms 2026 World Cup Pots and Top‑Four Bracket Rule; Germany Drawn in Pot 1

Playoff teams remain in Pot 4, leaving top seeds vulnerable to tricky group draws.

Overview

  • Germany joins hosts United States, Mexico and Canada plus Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands and Belgium in Pot 1.
  • FIFA will place the top four teams in separate quarters of the knockout bracket, preventing any matchup between them before the semifinals.
  • No new seeding was introduced for playoff qualifiers, so candidates such as Italy or Denmark are assigned to Pot 4 and could face Pot 1 teams in the group stage.
  • The draw will be held on December 5 at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington at 18:00 CET, with the full match schedule to follow on December 6.
  • Potential German opponents include Pot 2 sides like Austria and strong lower‑pot teams, underscoring the possibility of a challenging opening group.