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FIFA Finalizes 2026 World Cup Draw Pots and Bracket Paths Ahead of Dec. 5 Ceremony

The new procedure rewards the top four by keeping Spain, Argentina, France and England in separate knockout paths.

Overview

  • The draw will be held Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., placing 48 teams into 12 groups of four, with the full match schedule released on Dec. 6.
  • Hosts Mexico, Canada and the United States are in Pot 1 and pre-assigned to A1, B1 and D1, respectively, with distinct colored balls used to designate their placements.
  • FIFA confirmed confederation limits for the group stage, allowing a maximum of two UEFA teams per group and preventing same-confederation matchups otherwise.
  • Forty-two teams have qualified, with the final six berths coming from March playoffs — four UEFA winners and two inter-confederation winners in Mexico — all seeded into Pot 4.
  • Host group slates are set by pot: Mexico opens June 11 at Estadio Azteca, the USMNT plays June 12 and 25 in Inglewood with a June 19 match in Seattle, and Canada begins June 12 in Toronto before two games in Vancouver.