2026 World Cup Group Stage Draw: How to Watch? How Does It Work?

Your country has qualified for the 2026 World Cup. You're excited about seeing your nation play with the best of the best.  But the biggest question is, how will each team know their opponents?

The biggest edition ever of the world's marquee sporting event is next summer, running from June 11 through July 19, 2026.

Several teams have booked their spots, and plenty more will do in the coming weeks. Once the field is set, the next phase will be dividing up the 48 places into 12 groups of four.  From there, it'll be about reaching the knockout stage with an eye on the final. 

So let's answer some questions about how the draw will work. 

JUMP TO: Time/Date | Seeds | Procedure | Co-Hosts | Pots | Playoffs | Schedule | Qualified Teams

The draw will be held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on December 5 at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.

The 48 participating teams (or qualifying slots) will be placed into "pots" (seeded groups) based on criteria such as FIFA rankings and confederation constraints. We will know 42 of those 48 teams by December. The other six teams will be known by March 2026.

The three host nations (Canada, Mexico, and the United States) are already placed into specific groups to ensure their matches occur in their home country.

Teams from the same qualification zone — except for the European confederation (UEFA) — cannot be drawn into the same group. So don't expect two South American teams (CONMEBOL), for example, in the same group. However, you could see up to two UEFA teams in one. 

Team names during the 2022 World Cup draw in Qatar. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Each team's name is written on a slip of paper inside a plastic ball and