FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw to Take Place Tonight
The eyes of football fans around the world will be on the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., the American capital, tonight (18:00 CET) as the draw for the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup takes place. This edition will feature 48 national teams and will be held in three countries in North America: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Tournament Details
- The opening ceremony of the World Cup will take place on June 11th in Mexico City
- The final will be played on July 19th, 2026, in New York
- A total of 104 matches will be played between June 11th and July 19th, the largest number of matches in the tournament's history
- This will be the first time that World Cup matches will be held in Canada, while the United States previously hosted the tournament in 1994, and Mexico hosted in 1970 and 1986
Draw Ceremony
The draw will take place in the presence of American President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, with the participation of the presidents of the football federations of the qualified countries, the coaches of the participating teams, and a host of former world football stars who will conduct the draw. The match schedule will be announced tomorrow, Saturday.
Team Distribution
The 48 teams will be divided into 4 levels, each containing 12 teams, so that each group will include one team from each level.
- The first level will include the three host countries, as well as the top 9 teams from the November 2025 FIFA rankings
- The remaining teams will be placed sequentially in pots 2, 3, and 4, with the last level also including the 6 teams from the European and intercontinental playoffs, which will be determined in March
Draw Rules
The regulations state that no group can contain two teams from the same confederation, except for Europe, given the qualification of 16 teams from the continent. Therefore, a maximum of two European teams can be included in each group.
