Football’s spotlight will soon turn toward the 2026 World Cup.
Canada, Mexico, and the United States will co-host the expanded 48‑team tournament next summer. It marks the first time three nations share hosting duties.
A global qualifying campaign, spanning six confederations, will determine 45 teams joining the three hosts, who each earn their position automatically.
Here’s everything you need to know about the World Cup draw.
When is the 2026 World Cup draw?
The draw took place on 5th December 2025. It was hosted at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C at 5pm (UK time). It decided the 12 groups of four teams in the group stage of the finals, the full details of which can be found below.
How to watch the 2026 World Cup draw online
The draw was streamed live on Fifa’s official website, Fifa’s YouTube channel, and through select international broadcasters — including the BBC in the UK.
2026 World Cup draw pots
The draw used four pots of 12 teams.
Pot 1 included the three host nations (USA, Canada, Mexico) and Fifa’s top-nine ranked teams.
Pots 2-4 included the next 36 qualified teams, sorted by Fifa rankings. At the time, there were six unconfirmed teams, but the play-offs have now been completed with the following teams qualifying.
- UEFA Path A winner: Bosnia-Herzegovina
- UEFA Path B winner: Sweden
- UEFA Path C winner: Turkey
- UEFA Path D winner: Czech Republic
- IC Path 1 winner: DR Congo
- IC Path 2 winner: Iraq
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Croatia | Norway | Jordan |
| Mexico | Morocco | Panama | Cape Verde |
| Canada | Colombia | Egypt | Ghana |
| Spain | Uruguay | Algeria | Curacao |
| Argentina | Switzerland | Scotland | Haiti |
| France | Japan | Paraguay | New Zealand |
| England | Senegal | Tunisia | Uefa play-off winner 1 |
| Brazil | Iran | Ivory Coast | Uefa play-off winner 2 |
| Portugal | South Korea | Uzbekistan | Uefa play-off winner 3 |
| Netherlands | Ecuador | Qatar | Uefa play-off winner 4 |
| Belgium | Austria | Saudi Arabia | Inter-confederation play-off winner 1 |
| Germany | Australia | South Africa | Inter-confederation play-off winner 2 |
How does 2026 World Cup qualification work?
Uefa
In Europe, qualification began with a draw in December 2024, involving 54 Uefa nations divided into 12 groups of four or five teams. Each group winner automatically qualified for the finals. Play-offs will settle four more European places in March 2026. This includes the highest-ranked teams from the 2024–25 Uefa Nations League that have not qualified automatically.
The draw for the Uefa play-offs took place on 20th November 2025.
Conmebol
Conmebol retained its familiar league-style format. All 10 nations faced each other home and away in a single table across 18 matchdays. The top six teams qualified automatically for the World Cup, while the seventh-placed finisher heads into the inter-confederation play-offs.
CAF
Nine direct qualification spots go to CAF. That’s a huge increase from the five available in 2022. Africa’s qualifying campaign sees 54 teams drawn into nine groups of six. Each group winner qualifies directly. The four best runners-up entered a mini-tournament to decide who will compete in the inter-confederation play-offs for Africa’s potential 10th spot.
AFC
Eight guaranteed World Cup spots go to AFC, plus a potential extra one in the play-offs. The qualification process there involved five rounds, beginning with lower-ranked teams and culminating in three final groups of six in the decisive stage. The top two in each group qualified, with the third- and fourth-placed teams entering another round. There, the winners of the two three-team groups qualified for the World Cup, with the group runners-up facing off to represent Asia in the interconfederation play-offs.
Concacaf
Concacaf’s qualifying campaign was split into three rounds. The three co-hosts are all automatic entries, leaving three more direct places and two play-off spots. The second and third rounds began in June 2024, with teams grouped into mini-leagues and a final 12-team phase determining the region’s full list of qualifiers. There could still be two further Concacaf representation via the inter-confederation play-offs, with both Jamaica and Suriname taking part.
OFC
Oceania (OFC) finally has a direct spot for the first time ever. New Zealand claimed the region’s sole place in March, while New Caledonia will head into the inter-confederation play-offs.
Inter-confederation play-offs
The inter-confederation play-offs will feature six teams: one each from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America, plus two from Concacaf. They will be split into two different paths. Two of those teams are seeded based on Fifa rankings and placed directly into the final play-off rounds. The remaining four teams will play off in single-elimination semi-finals to determine who joins them. The two winners of the final play-off matches will round out the tournament field.
The draw for the inter-confederation play-offs took place on 20th November 2025.