FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw: Where and how to watch & more
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The 2026 World Cup draw will take place on 5th December.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw is scheduled for this Friday. It will determine 12 groups of four countries each, totalling 48 teams, for the expanded tournament, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19 in 2026.
Where and how to watch FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw around the world?
- Worldwide: FIFA+ app, FIFA YouTube
- India: FIFA+ app
- USA: FOX, Telemundo, Peacock, Universo
- Canada: TSN, RDS
The complete list of broadcasters and streaming platforms is available here.
When does it start?
Friday, December 5 at 12 pm ET (9 am PT).
Where will it happen?
John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
How does the draw work?
According to the FIFA Men’s World Rankings for November 2025, 39 of the 42 qualifying nations are divided into four pots.
Mexico, Canada, and the United States are the host countries in Pot 1. Lastly, the two FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Competition placeholders, in addition to the four European Play-Off placeholders, are distributed into Pot 4.
All the groups – A through L – can include no more than one team from each region, aside from UEFA. Each group will contain at least one European team and no more than two teams.
Which nations have qualified?
42 nations have earned spots through their own confederation’s system, including the host nations – United States, Canada, and Mexico – who automatically qualified.
There are 42 seats locked up; the remaining six berths will be determined next March via playoffs.
Africa (CAF)
- Algeria
- Cape Verde
- Egypt
- Ghana
- Ivory Coast
- Morocco
- Senegal
- South Africa
- Tunisia
Europe (UEFA)
- Austria
- Belgium
- Croatia
- England
- France
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Portugal
- Scotland
- Spain
- Switzerland
North America, Central America & Caribbean (Concacaf)
- Canada (co-host)
- Curaçao
- Haiti
- Mexico (co-host)
- Panama
- United States (co-host)
Oceania (OFC)
- New Zealand
South America (Conmebol)
Which country is in which pot?
- Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
- Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
- Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
- Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Off A, B, C and D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 and 2
When is the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 draw is on 5th December.
What time in India is the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw?
It will be shown at 10:30 p.m. IST.
How many nations have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
42 have already qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Six more will qualify from playoffs.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.