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FIFA Sets 2026 World Cup Groups; France Drawn With Senegal and Norway

FIFA will publish venues and kickoff times on Saturday as the final six qualifiers will be decided in March playoffs.

Overview

  • The draw in Washington’s Kennedy Center produced 12 groups for the expanded 48‑team tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
  • France landed in Group I with Senegal, Norway and an intercontinental play-off winner to be determined from Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname.
  • Group I fixtures are slated for the East Coast cluster of Boston, New York, Philadelphia or Toronto, with exact dates and times due on Saturday.
  • Under the new format, twelve groups of four will send the top two plus the eight best third-placed teams into a 16th‑final knockout round.
  • FIFA’s seeding grants added protection to the top four ranked teams, and the showpiece draw featured President Donald Trump as Iran attended after reversing a boycott over visa refusals.