FIFA has released the official rankings for the national teams that will be used in the upcoming 2026 World Cup draw. This pivotal event is scheduled to take place on December 5th and marks a crucial step before the start of the expanded tournament, which will feature a new format of 12 groups.
The draw ceremony, to be held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., will be attended by coaches of qualified teams, national federation officials, and representatives from teams still vying for qualification through the European and intercontinental playoffs.
During the ceremony, teams will learn their opponents for the first round of the competition. According to FIFA’s procedures, the three host nations – the United States, Canada, and Mexico – are automatically placed in Pot 1. The remaining 39 qualified teams will then be distributed across four pots based on the FIFA World Ranking released on November 19, 2025.
The two teams qualifying through the intercontinental playoff and the four teams qualifying through the European playoff will be placed in Pot 4.
Following the draw and the determination of the World Cup 2026 groups, FIFA will announce the match schedule on Saturday, December 6th. This announcement will include the host stadiums and kickoff times, setting the stage for the final countdown to the largest edition of the tournament in history. The Algerian national team’s placement will be closely watched by fans.
