The draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has commenced at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. This edition marks a historic milestone as the first to feature 48 participating nations. The tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The ceremony boasts a spectacular lineup of musical performances, featuring renowned Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, American singer Nicole Scherzinger, and British pop icon Robbie Williams. The event is hosted by international model Heidi Klum, alongside American comedian Kevin Hart and actor Danny Ramirez.
The draw pots are structured as follows:
Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, United States, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany.
Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia.
Pot 3: Qatar, Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa.
Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, plus four teams from the European Play-off, and two from the Inter-confederation Play-off.
This draw is particularly significant due to the expansion of the tournament to 48 teams. Six qualification spots remain undecided, with two to be determined through the inter-confederation play-offs and four via the European play-offs. These play-off matches are scheduled for March 2026.
The draw ceremony is attended by coaches of qualified national teams, football federation officials, and representatives from nations still vying for qualification.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is slated to take place from June 11th to July 19th, 2026. The draw allows teams to anticipate their opponents as matches will be held across stadiums in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, marking the first expanded edition of the global tournament.
DZWatch will continue to provide comprehensive coverage of the World Cup 2026 as preparations unfold.
