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FIFA Unveils 2026 World Cup Draw Pots as Dec. 5 Ceremony Set for Washington

FIFA's seedings define a 48-team draw with co-hosts fixed in Groups A–C.

Overview

  • FIFA published four draw pots, placing the United States, Mexico and Canada in Pot 1 alongside nine top-ranked qualifiers, with Mexico in Group A, Canada in Group B and the United States in Group C.
  • The draw will be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Dec. 5, at 5 p.m. GMT/12 p.m. EST.
  • Pot 4 includes placeholders for winners of remaining European playoffs and two intercontinental playoff berths that will be decided in March.
  • The expanded tournament features 12 groups of four, with the top two in each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advancing to a 32-team knockout stage.
  • The finals run from June 11 to July 19, 2026, starting at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca and ending with the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with most of the 104 matches staged in the United States.