Overview
- The draw event in Washington, D.C. is scheduled for December 5 around 5 p.m. UK time, with Gianni Infantino to present the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize.
- The 2026 finals run from June 11 to July 19 with 48 teams across 12 groups and a final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
- Seeding will use four pots of 12 based on FIFA rankings, with pot one comprising the three hosts plus the nine highest-ranked teams, and a two-UEFA-team limit per group.
- The United States, Canada and Mexico qualify automatically and occupy the pot-one slots in Groups A, B and D, shaping early matchups and limiting options for other top seeds.
- The growing list of qualified nations includes first-time entrants Uzbekistan, Jordan and Cape Verde, along with Japan, Iran, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, France and England, who have seven wins and no goals conceded in qualifying.