2026 World Cup Draw: Schedule, Teams & How to Watch
- The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will take place on February 22, 2024, in Washington D.C., determining...
- Why it matters: Sets the stage for the first 48-team World Cup, impacting team strategies and fan travel plans.
- What's next: Full match schedule with dates, times, and venues will be published on february 24, 2024.
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2026 FIFA World Cup Draw set for February 22 in Washington D.C.
The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will take place on February 22, 2024, in Washington D.C., determining the group stage matchups for the expanded 48-team tournament.
Event Details and Schedule
The draw ceremony will be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on February 22, 2024, with an expected attendance including dignitaries, including former President Donald Trump as reported by ESPN. The complete match schedule, including kickoff times and host stadiums, will be revealed on February 24, 2024 according to FIFA.
This World Cup marks a notable expansion from the customary 32-team format, increasing the number of participating nations to 48. This change aims to provide more opportunities for countries to compete on the world stage and broaden the global appeal of the tournament as decided by the FIFA Council in January 2017.
Draw Procedure and Pot Allocation
The tournament will feature twelve groups of four teams each in the first round. The host nations - Canada,mexico,and the United States – will be automatically placed in Pot 1 as outlined by FIFA. The remaining 39 qualified teams will be distributed into four pots, each containing twelve teams, based on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking as of November 30, 2023 according to FIFA’s official guidelines.
Two additional spots remain open for teams that will emerge from the inter-confederation play-offs in March 2024. these teams will be assigned to Pot 1 after the play-offs are completed as per FIFA regulations.
| Pot | Number of Teams | Allocation Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Pot 1 | 6 | Host Nations (Canada, Mexico, USA) + 3 Playoff Winners |
| Pot 2 | 12 | FIFA Ranking (November 30, 2023) – Teams 5-16 |
| Pot 3 | 12 | FIFA Ranking (November 30, 2023) – Teams 17-28 |
| Pot 4 | 12 | FIFA Ranking (November 3
|