2026 FIFA World Cup Draw - As it happened!

by Staff Reporter

Friday Dec 05, 2025. 21:18

In a bitJoin African Football for LIVE coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw, which will be held at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC.

Overseen by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the Draw marks the start of the countdown to next year’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

This edition will feature 48 teams, up from 32, making it the most expansive World Cup ever. While most nations have already booked their spots, six play-off winners are still to be decided. The tournament kicks off on 11 June 2026, with the final set for 19 July.

 

Commentary:

Bafana Bafana will face Mexico again at the FIFA World Cup. The two sides drew 1-1 in the group stage in 2010 and will face one another in the opening game of the 2026 edition.

Final groups for the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

Group A:



Mexico

South Korea

South Africa

Denmark / North. Macedonia / Czechia / Ireland

Group B:



Canada

Switzerland

Qatar

Italy / Wales / North. Ireland / Bosnia and Herzegovina

Group C:



Brazil

Morocco

Scotland

Haiti

Group D:



USA

Australia

Paraguay

Turkey / Romania / Slovakia / Kosovo

Group E:



Germany

Ecuador

Côte d’Ivoire

Curacao

Group F:



Netherlands

Japan

Tounisia

Ukraine / Sweden / Poland / Albania

Group G:



Belgium

Iran

Egypt

New Zealand

Group H:



Spain

Uruguay

Saudi Arabia

Cape Verde

Group I:



France

Senegal

Norway

Iraq / Bolivia / Suriname

Group J:



Argentina

Austria

Algeria

Jordan

Group K:



Portugal

Colombia

Uzbekistan

DR Congo / Jamaica / New Caledonia

Group L:



England

Croatia

Panama

Ghana

Can Ghana make it out of the group stages for the first time since 2010? Tough ask with England and Croatia as favourites.

Bafana Bafana will play in the tournament opener against host-nation Mexiso

Cape Verde already made history by securing their first-ever qualification. Can they pull off any more surprises against Spain, Uruguay or Saudi Arabia?

The draw ends with pot four.

The winner of European play-off D (either Denmark, North Macedonia, Ireland or Czechia)

The winner of European play-off A (Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy or Northern Island) will join group B.

Haiti, making its second appearance at the global showpiece, completes group C.

Joining group E is Curaçao, as every group must have a European team.

Either Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname, winner of one of the two FIFA intercontinental play-offs, will be in group I.

Debutants Cabo Verde will be in group H and play Spain in their first ever World Cup game.

The winner of European play-off C (Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo) will be in group D.

The winner of European play-off B (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland or Albania) will be in group F.

Jordan has been placed in group J.

DR Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia will be in group K, depending on who emerges from the second stream of the intercontinental playoff.

Ghana is the last African team drawn and will play in group L.

New Zealand, the last name called, joins group G.

“Prepare for Chaos Ball”

Pot 4 is where dreams are made or heartbreak begins.

Potential African playoff team incoming…

Returning to the tournament for the first time since hosting in 2010, South Africa will play in group A and face Mexico in the opening game of the tournament in Mexico City.

Hosts and debutants in 2022, Qatar will join Canada and Switzerland in group B.

Paraguay, appearing for the first time since making the quarterfinals in 2012, have been drawn in group D with the USA and

Reigning AFCON champions Côte d’Ivoire will be in group E.

Tunisia will face Japan and the Netherlands in group F.

Egypt, who will be looking to claim their first win at the World Cup, have been placed alongside Belgium and Iran in group G.

Scotland are the first European team drawn from pot three with Brazil and Morocco in group C.

Saudi Arabia, who defeated eventual champions Argentina in the last edition, will be alongside Spain and Uruguay in group H.

Algeria’s first appearance in 12 years sees the nation place in group J with the current champions and Austria.

Debutants Uzbekistan have been placed in group K with Portugal and Colombia.

Panama will look to gain its first ever points at the World Cup in group L against England and Croatia.

Norway, back for the first time since 1998, has been placed in group I.

The first team drawn from pot two is the Republic of Korea, joining co-host nation Mexico in group A.

Switzerland join Canada in group B.

Morocco are the first African team drawn. The semi-finalists at the last edition will join Brazil in group C

Australia will be in group D with the USA.

Ecuador, who finished with the fewest defeats and goals conceded in South American qualifying, will be in group E with Germany.

Japan, the first nation to qualify for the tournament, will come up against the Netherlands in group F.

Competing in its fourth successive World Cup, Iran will be in group G alongside Belgium.

Uruguay, hosts of the inau

Africa make their first appearance in the draw with Morocco, who have been paired with Brazil in Group C.

First Possible African Opponents

“Pot 2 Time – Tension Rising”

Right, here comes Pot 2… the pot where African destinies start to shift.

This is where Senegal, Morocco & co. start circling their future rivals.

England, who were the first European team to qualify for the 2026 edition, has been placed in group L.

Portugal, which will be attending its seventh consecutive World Cup, have been drawn in group K.

France, who have reached the FIFA World Cup final in four of the tournament’s last seven editions, will be in group I.

Defending Champions Argentina will be in group J at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

2010 World Cup winners Spain will be in group H.

Belgium are the first side to be placed in group G

Three-time runners-up the Netherlands are placed in group F

Five-time winners Germany have been placed in group E

Five time champions and the only nation to have participated in every edition of the FIFA World Cup, Brazil, have been placed in group C

Pot 1 for the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw:

Canada (group B), Mexico (group A), United States (group D), Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany

“First Balls of the Night”

POT 1 is out!

These are the group-headliners — the ones everyone wants to avoid.

Let’s see where the giants land…

Okay the draw is about to get underway for real this time as Rio Ferdinand has just been welcomed onto the stage!

Of the tournament’s three host nations, Canada have been drawn in group B, Mexico are in group A and the USA has been placed in group D.

Africa’s nine qualified nations for the 2026 World Cup will discover their group-stage opponents.

Algeria

Cape Verde

Egypt

Ghana

Ivory Coast

Morocco

Senegal

South Africa

Tunisia

The draw is finally upon us. What an fitting time to use the three words in football made famous by Fabrizio Romano: Here we go!

US President Donald Trump has received FIFA’s new peace prize – an annual award given to “individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace”.

Some highlights from Infantino’s speech:

“This will be the greatest World Cup humanity has ever seen. We will have seven million people in the stadiums.

“Six billion people will be watching the World Cup from home and around the world.

“This is like 104 Super Bowls in one month. This is the magnitude.”

Former England defender Rio Ferdinand will be conducting tonight’s draw, while supermodel Heidi Klum, comedian Kevin Hart and actor Danny Ramirez are the co-hosts.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino begins his opening address

How the draw works:

– The 48 teams are divided into four pots of 12, based on FIFA rankings.

– Pot 1 includes the three host nations (United States, Mexico, Canada) plus the nine highest-ranked teams.

– Pot 4 contains the six play-off winners, even though some may rank higher than Pot 3 teams.

– FIFA has confirmed Spain (top seed) and Argentina (second seed) will be placed in opposite halves of the draw, ensuring they can only meet in the final, same for France (3rd) and England (4th).

Pot allocation:

– 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: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa

– Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, four European playoff winners, two intercontinental playoff winners



The playoff teams:

Europe (4): (one of) Wales v Bosnia, Italy v Northern Ireland; (one of) Ukraine v Sweden, Poland v Albania; (one of) Slovakia v Kosovo, Turkiyie v Romania; (one of) Czech Republic v Ireland, Denmark v North Macedonia.

Intercontinental (2): New Caledonia v Jamaica (winner faces DR Congo), Bolivia v Suriname (winner faces Iraq).