The group stage for the FIFA World Cup 2026 was officially confirmed during a glittering final draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on Friday.
The tournament will begin on June 11, with co-hosts Mexico facing South Africa in the opening match in Mexico City.
This year’s draw produced several exciting early contests, including Brazil taking on Morocco, the Netherlands meeting Japan, and a highly anticipated France–Senegal clash, a repeat of their famous 2002 encounter.
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Fellow hosts the United States and Canada will be in action on the second day of the competition.
Defending champions Argentina landed in a balanced group with Algeria, Austria and Jordan.
Brazil, the five-time winners, will compete against Morocco, Haiti and Scotland.
England will begin their campaign with a tough test against Croatia, the team that ended their 2018 World Cup journey in the semi-finals, and will also face Panama.
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FIFA confirmed that teams outside the hosts’ groups will learn their venue details and kickoff times on Saturday, as the governing body continues to adjust scheduling for global audiences.
In a significant update to the tournament format, the four highest-ranked teams in the world, Spain, Argentina, France and England, received special seedings.
Under this system, they cannot face each other before the semi-finals, provided they win all their respective group games.
A total of 48 teams have been placed into 12 groups of four, with the expanded 104-match World Cup taking place across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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The competition will run from June 11 to July 19, concluding with the final in New Jersey.
FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage draw:
| Group | Teams |
| A | Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Winner of UEFA Play-off D |
| B | Canada, Winner of UEFA Play-off A, Qatar, Switzerland |
| C | Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland |
| D | USA, Paraguay, Australia, Winner of UEFA Play-off C |
| E | Germany, Curacao, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador |
| F | Netherlands, Japan, Winner of UEFA Play-off B, Tunisia |
| G | Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand |
| H | Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay |
| I | France, Senegal, Winner of FIFA Play-off 2, Norway |
| J | Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan |
| K | Portugal, Winner of FIFA Play-off 1, Uzbekistan, Colombia |
| L | England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama |
UEFA Play-offs:
A: Italy, Wales, Bosnia-Herzegovina or Northern Ireland
B: Ukraine, Poland, Albania or Sweden
C: Turkey, Slovakia, Kosovo or Romania
D: Denmark, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland or North Macedonia
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FIFA Play-offs:
1: DR Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia
2: Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname
