The World Cup 2026 groups split 48 teams into 12 groups of four, the biggest field in the tournament’s history. Co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico headline three of them, and below you will find every group from A to L, how teams advance, and where the USA fit in.
How the World Cup 2026 group stage works
With 48 teams instead of 32, the format is new. The 12 groups each contain four teams who play a round robin, and the top two from every group advance to the Round of 32. They are joined by the eight best third-placed teams, taking 32 of the 48 sides through to the knockout rounds. Only the bottom team in each group, plus the four worst third-placed teams, go home after the group stage.
All 12 World Cup 2026 groups
Here are the full groups for the World Cup 2026, with the co-hosts seeded into Groups A, B and D.
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| Group A | Mexico, South Korea, Czechia, South Africa |
| Group B | Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Group C | Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti |
| Group D | United States, Australia, Paraguay, Türkiye |
| Group E | Germany, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Curaçao |
| Group F | Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia |
| Group G | Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand |
| Group H | Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde |
| Group I | France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq |
| Group J | Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan |
| Group K | Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo |
| Group L | England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama |
USA’s World Cup 2026 group
The United States headline Group D, alongside Australia, Paraguay and Turkiye. It is a winnable group, and the hosts could not have started better, racing past Paraguay 4-1 at SoFi Stadium. See how they lined up in our USA vs Paraguay player ratings and the full squad in our USMNT roster guide. Up next is Australia in Seattle on June 19, with Turkiye to follow.
Key dates and what is next
The group stage runs from June 11 to June 27, with the Round of 32 to follow. For the bigger picture, see our World Cup 2026 hub, every venue in our World Cup 2026 stadiums guide, how to get in via our World Cup 2026 tickets guide, and the latest World Cup 2026 winner odds. More at FIFA. Must be 21+ and present in a state where betting is legal. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
There are 12 groups of four teams at the World Cup 2026, labelled Group A through Group L, as the tournament expands to 48 teams for the first time.
The top two teams in each of the 12 groups advance to the Round of 32, joined by the eight best third-placed teams. That is 32 of the 48 teams reaching the knockout rounds.
The United States are in Group D alongside Australia, Paraguay and Turkiye. They opened with a 4-1 win over Paraguay.
As co-hosts, Mexico headline Group A and Canada headline Group B. The United States, the third host, are in Group D.