Football fans across the world are gearing up for one of the biggest moments ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup official group stage draw.
The expanded 48-team tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada is already generating major excitement as qualified teams look forward to discovering their group opponents.
Draw Venue and Date
The World Cup 2026 group stage draw will take place on:
Date: Friday, December 5, 2025
Time: 12:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm GMT
Venue: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C.
The event will set the tone for the competition, assigning all 48 participating nations into 12 groups.
How to Watch the Draw
The draw will be broadcast live worldwide via:
FIFA’s official website
FIFA’s YouTube channel
United States: FOX & Telemundo
United Kingdom: BBC & ITV
Canada: TSN
Mexico: Univision
MENA Region: beIN Sports
Football fans who cannot watch live will also have access to real-time updates through major sports outlets and live blogs.
How the Teams Will Be Seeded
The 48 teams will be split into four pots of 12 teams each, based on FIFA rankings.
Pot 1
Includes: USA (D1), Canada (B1), Mexico (A1) — all pre-assigned as host nations
The top nine ranked teams in the world (e.g., Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, etc.)
Pots 2 to 4
These will contain the remaining qualified teams, also arranged by FIFA rankings. Six spots are still undecided and will be filled after playoff matches scheduled for March 2026.
Tournament Schedule
The World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Group Stage
Matchday 1: June 11–17
Matchday 2: June 18–23
Matchday 3: June 24–27
Knockout Rounds
Round of 32: June 28–July 3
Round of 16: July 4–7
Quarter-finals: July 9–11
Semi-finals: July 14–15
Third-place match: July 18
Final: July 19 at MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
The opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and match will be staged at Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca.
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