World Cup
2026 World
Cup Draw
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The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place today in Washington, D.C., at midday ET.
President Donald Trump will be present at the Kennedy Center as 12 groups of four teams are formed ahead of next summer’s tournament in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
We will be joined throughout the day by a team of international journalists based in each of the participating nations — and you can get involved by emailing live@theathletic.com.
Uruguay, a nation that has already won two FIFA World Cups — but displays four stars on its badge due to previous Olympic world titles in the pre-World Cup era — measures success by contending for the title and chasing another addition to its kit.
Considering the recent dip in form and a new generation stepping into its first World Cup following the fruitful years of Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani, a realistic benchmark for Uruguay in 2026 would be reaching the quarterfinals. That achievement would signal that the nation is moving back toward its status as a modern soccer powerhouse.
Uruguay remains a team in transition, working to define its post–golden generation identity. Uruguay enters this World Cup off the back of a third-place finish at the 2024 Copa América, a result that should reinforce the belief that this group can compete with anyone. With Marcelo Bielsa at the helm and a core featuring Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Darwin Núñez, La Celeste has the pieces to turn heads in 2026.
One player who continues to fly under the global radar is Giorgian de Arrascaeta (pictured). Though he has never played in Europe, the 31-year-old has been one of the standout performers in the Campeonato Brasileiro over the past decade.
His role is pivotal in Bielsa’s high-pressing system. Operating as a No. 10, he scored twice at the 2022 World Cup and will need to be productive again if Uruguay wants to navigate the group stage successfully.
The draw presents a challenge. Slotted into pot 2, Uruguay is likely to face a top-ranked opponent unless it lands in a group with one of the tournament hosts. The ideal scenario would involve facing a host nation — especially Canada, which Uruguay defeated in the third-place match at the last Copa América.
A group with Canada from Pot 1, Scotland from Pot 3, and New Zealand from Pot 4 would give Uruguay a clear path to advance to the knockout stages of the World Cup. The opposite scenario they hope to avoid is Italy qualifying and landing in Pot 4. Any group featuring Italy plus a European powerhouse from Pot 1 would significantly complicate any nation's route to the knockout rounds.
When Uruguay hosted the inaugural tournament in 1930, every game was played in Montevideo — the only time an edition of the World Cup has been held exclusively in one city. They are former winners of the tournament on two occasions.
We are now joined by Favian Renkel, football journalist at Kickbase USA.
For most Colombians the marker for success is wedged somewhere between the last-16 and the quarter finals. The aim is to at least strive to equal their best-ever World Cup performance from Brazil 2014 when Colombia reached the quarter-finals.
Yet there’s hushed acknowledgement that the current team isn’t at the same level as José Pékerman’s side from 11 years ago. Colombia’s six-match winless wobble mid-qualifiers alerted many to the team’s limitations and, with an extra knock-out round to negotiate through the expanded tournament, reaching the last eight might lie just beyond them.
But if Colombia were to go out swinging in the last-16, having entertained and shown pluck along the way, most fans should still be moderately satisfied.
World Cup 2014 star James Rodríguez is still around and occasionally delivers the odd reminder of his magic, but it is Luis Díaz (pictured) who has now toppled him as los Cafeteros’ key man.
As the only Colombian playing at an elite club, the Bayern winger is also arguably the team’s only world-class player. His two goals against Brazil, coming shortly after his dad was freed from an agonizing 12-day kidnapping, delivered a first-ever win over Brazil in the qualifiers that will long live in the memory. Díaz followed it up with a stunning effort in Buenos Aires, slaloming past four Argentina defenders to score his seventh goal of qualifying in a 1-1 draw against the world champions. With a player capable of turning a game against even the very best, it was no wonder that James celebrated Lucho’s goal — described by the Argentina press as “Maradonaesque” — by placing a symbolic crown on the new king of Colombian football’s head.
One of the host nations would be the obvious answer, but landing the United States in the groups would hold special significance for those old enough to remember the trauma left from the ruins of the last time Colombia qualified for a World Cup in North America. That 2-1 defeat at USA ’94 still evokes painful memories for Colombians, particularly for the devastating consequences of the own-goal that then spiralled into the murder of defender Andrés Escobar.
Against a USA team that Colombia have historically dominated – just one defeat in 13 games since the humiliation suffered at the Rose Bowl in 1994 – the opportunity to knock off a top seed while burying demons from the past would be warmly welcomed.
Colombia was due to host the World Cup in 1986 but had to pull out for economic reasons. The tournament was given to Mexico instead.
Joining us now is Carl Worswick, football writer based in Bogota, Colombia.
Success for Morocco at the 2026 FIFA World Cup would involve advancing beyond the group stage, building on their historic run in 2022 where they became the first African team to reach the semi-final. Achieving at least the quarterfinals again would be a benchmark, given the fourth-place finish in 2022 under coach Walid Regragui, who emphasizes defensive solidity and counter-attacks. Another run to the knockouts would confirm that Morocco has become a strong footballing nation.
Captain Achraf Hakimi (pictured) stands out as the Moroccan player to watch most closely. The Paris Saint-Germain right-back finally won the African Player of the Year Award by CAF, the first Moroccan to win it since Mostapha Hadji in 1998. Known for his explosive pace, precise crossing, and defensive reliability, Hakimi has been pivotal in Morocco's high-pressing style as a key player and the team leader.
Another player to watch is a product of the Moroccan domestic league, Hamza Igamane. The 23-year-old, now playing for Lille in France, has been described as the African “Ronaldo Nazario” because of similarities in his playing style, including his power, technique, and goalscoring ability.
A dream draw for Morocco would be avoiding the powerhouses. Therefore, desirable opponents would be a group with Canada, Qatar and New Zealand. While a tough group to avoid may include Morocco with Argentina and Norway.
Morocco is the only African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup, doing so in 2022 following victory against Portugal in the quarter-finals.
Here’s Moroccan football analyst Jalal Bounouar to share more.
Realistically, the quarter-finals would be a serious overachievement for a nation as tiny as Croatia, especially because the team failed to win a single game at last year’s European Championship and were eliminated in the group stage.
But in Croatia, they don’t do ‘realistic’ — and after two consecutive medal-winning World Cup campaigns, can you really blame them for being used to miracles and punching above their weight? Once the casual masses join the euphoria bandwagon — and that’s always the case here ahead of any big tournament — the expectations will rise sky-high.
Veterans still lead the charge — Luka Modric is 40 and Ivan Perisic will be 37 come the tournament — while young, unproven players are few and far between, but Luka Vuskovic (pictured) is something else.
The Tottenham Hotspur defender, now 18 and currently on loan to Hamburg in the Bundesliga, is by far the best prospect in this team and he’s likely to become a world class centre-back in the near future. Though Vuskovic only has two caps to his name so far, he’s projected to be a starter in America. Playing with confidence well beyond his age, he’s not only dominant in challenges — especially in the air — but also has superb technique on the ball and will be an attacking threat as well.
From Pot 1, Croatia traditionally don’t fare that well against Spain, France and Portugal, so these teams would best be avoided, as would Brazil and Argentina.
In Pots 3 and 4, any opponent would do but they would rather not play any other European teams. So the dream draw for Croatia would look something like this: Canada, South Africa, Jordan. None of the Pot 2 teams would mind being drawn in such a group, would they?
We now turn our attention to pot 2, beginning with European powerhouses Croatia.
Croatia, which today has a population of under four million people, has competed in six World Cups since gaining independence from Yugoslavia and has finished in the top three in half of them.
Here to explain the might of their footballing prowess is Aleksandar Holiga, Croatian football journalist.
Bafana Bafana have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 2002. So the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw is on the horizon and South Africa's men’s team is waiting with baited breath.
The expectation is that South Africa will do well after years of building what has become one of the best national teams on the African continent. With that said, Bafana Bafana have a duty to not only represent Africa well but to do better than the previous years. Bafana Bafana have never reached the knockout stages on all three previous occasions they’ve been to the World Cup finals.
And this time around, there’s that glimmer of hope Broos will guide Bafana Bafana past the group stages, and possibly reach the last 16 or quarter-finals.
South Africa is blessed with talent and the one player the world is ready to see is Relebohile Mofokeng (pictured). Mofokeng is a 21-year-old who made his debut in 2022, and has already played 104 games for Orlando Pirates with 18 goals and 24 assists to his name as a winger.
But there will be no justice without mentioning Mbekezeli Mbokazi of the same Orlando Pirates team. A tough left-footed central defender who is 20 years old and the world will, for sure, see how talented he is since he’s going to the Major League Soccer (MLS) in February.
With Bafana Bafana in pot 3, it means they could face the likes of England, Spain, Brazil and Uruguay, and all could dent their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
For the majority of South Africans, playing against the likes of Haiti, New Zealand and Mexico — who Bafana Bafana played with in 2010 — would be a dream draw.
After all, this is about breaking the curse of never having been to the knockout stages, which would be like winning the World Cup itself for South Africa.
South Africa became the first host nation to go out in the first round of the World Cup when eliminated in the group stage in 2010. Qatar became the second in 2022.
On their World Cup return, here’s an update from Ernest Makhaya, sports journalist at The South African.
The last time the World Cup was in North America, Saudi Arabia debuted and made the knockout stages. They haven’t gone that far in their five attempts since, so a repeat would go down very well.
There isn’t much confidence at the moment, however, as it’s all been downhill since that famous win over Argentina in 2022. Roberto Mancini arrived a few months later but lasted just 14 bad-tempered months, and the second coming of Herve Renard has yet to match his 2019-23 tenure.
Saudi Arabia did not impress at all during qualification and only squeezed through the playoffs on goals scored despite being given home advantage and a favourable schedule.
Salem Al-Dawsari (pictured) netted that unforgettable winner against Argentina, and the versatile winger is still the star man despite being 34. Saudi Arabia have had trouble scoring goals, just seven in 10 games in the main round of qualification, and none of those came from a recognised striker, putting even more responsibility on the shoulders of the captain.
He can handle it. In 2025, the Al-Hilal star was named the Saudi Pro League Saudi Player of the season and the AFC Asian Player of the Year. He may not have been at his best for the national team of late, though few have, and that will have to change if this current crop of players are to emulate the heroes of 1994.
Any team that can’t defend would be welcome, given the weak Saudi attack. Lightning in the guise of a group stage win against a global giant is unlikely to strike twice but even so, the glamour of a team like Brazil, France or England would get the juices flowing and give the football scene a sense of how far the journey to the top table is.
Of course, there is always Portugal, the home of Cristiano Ronaldo, the face of the Saudi Pro League, and other Riyadh-based stars like Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix.
In terms of Pot 2, an Arab derby with Morocco could be fun, especially if the group is completed by one of the new boys from the fourth pot.
Eighteen men have played for Saudi Arabia 100 times or more, with no country having produced more international centurions (Mexico and Bahrain also have 18).
Asian football expert John Duerden is back to tell us more about Saudi Arabia’s hopes in 2026.
After three defeats on home soil in 2022, by far the worst performance by a host nation, a win would perhaps be enough to satisfy fans at home and, indeed given the format of the World Cup, could even be enough to advance, and that really would be a cause for celebration in Doha. After hugely impressive back-to-back wins at the last two Asian Cups, the challenge is to take the next step on to the global stage.
The inconsistent performances in qualification were, then, worrying and Qatar would not have come close to making a 32-team tournament, squeezing through at the end. There is a regret that a big-name coach was not hired in 2022, hence the arrival of Julen Lopetegui.
It has to be Akram Afif (pictured) as Qatar have a chance if he plays well. In the team’s twin continental successes in 2019 and 2024, the winger was the standout — not just for his magic card trick goal celebration — and ended up being named as the AFC Asian Player of the Year both years. But when he is not so hot, Qatar tends to struggle.
Equally impressive as a creator or finisher, Afif can play on either side or behind the main striker. He goes where he wants as Qatar’s biggest star but that has not been the case in his club career. A move to Belgium never worked out and, at 29, the time for Europe has gone. This, then, is Afif’s last chance to take his reputation global.
Canada from Pot 1. Not only would that probably offer the best chance of three points but if any team understands the stresses and pressure of being the host nation as well as the weakest of the top seeds, it is Qatar. Then perhaps Ecuador. A rematch from the opening game from the 2022 World Cup, a defeat that set the scene for a dismal few days in the international spotlight and still rankles. And, as it is all about getting the points and out of the group and not about facing the big teams (they can come later), the weakest from Pot 4 –maybe Haiti or Curacao if there is no Canada, and if there is, Cape Verde.
Qatar, where the 2022 tournament was played, is one of three teams whose World Cup debut has come while also being the host nation — along with Uruguay in 1930 and Italy in 1934. Unlike those two teams, however, Qatar did not win the tournament in question.
John Duerden, Asian football expert, tells us more about their chances next summer.
Success for Tunisia at the World Cup would simply mean reaching the knockouts for the first time in their history. Tunisia have played at six World Cups, but have never gone past the group stage. With the new 48-team format and the chance for some third-place teams to advance, this goal feels more realistic than before. For Tunisian fans, getting out of the group would be a true achievement and a proud moment.
The Tunisian player everyone should know is Hannibal Mejbri (pictured), who wears the number 10 shirt. He plays as a midfielder for Burnley in the Premier League and has become one of the most important players in Sami Trabelsi’s system.
Over the past four years, Hannibal has earned a new status in the Tunisian team and is seen as one of the leaders. His name also has special meaning in Tunisia, as Hannibal was a famous general from ancient Carthage, which gives his presence in the team a strong cultural and symbolic value.
A dream World Cup group for Tunisia would include Canada, Iran, and either Curacao or Haiti. These teams are seen as easier to beat. Playing in Canada would be helpful too as more than 50,000 Tunisians live there and would support the team.
A group to avoid would include Spain, Croatia, or a European play-off team, especially Italy if they qualify. A tough draw would make it much harder for Tunisia to reach the knockouts for the first time.
In 1978, Tunisia became the first African side to win a game at the World Cup when beating Mexico 3-1 in their opening match.
To bring us a summary of their hopes in 2025, here’s Tunisian journalist Arafat Hamrouni.
Having missed the last two World Cups, Ivory Coast will be eager to make their mark at the 2026 edition. The team boasts exceptional talent, with players competing at the very highest levels of world football.
Ivory Coast have only ever featured in three World Cups, and each time their journey ended at the group stage. In 2026, that will not be enough. With their talent and current form, the Elephants should not only reach the knockout stages but also have the quality to challenge the tournament’s biggest nations.
Reaching the quarterfinals is a realistic target and should be their focus. With a favourable draw,
they could go even further and make a deep run at the tournament.
This Ivory Coast side is brimming with talent, with players capable of taking a game by the scruff of the neck and winning it on their own, including Amad, Nicolas Pépé, Simon Adingra and more.
Yet as they head into the tournament, the player central to their success will be Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré (pictured). Sangaré provides balance to the Ivory Coast midfield. His rare blend of physical dominance, ball-winning ability and composure on the ball will be vital in breaking up opposition attacks and driving his team forward. His influence could ultimately shape the Elephants’ entire campaign.
Make no mistake, with Ivory Coast in Pot 3, their group is shaping up to be the tournament’s inevitable ‘Group of Death’. They will hope to avoid a repeat of their brutal 2006 and 2010 World Cup groups, which saw them face Argentina and the Netherlands in 2006, and Portugal and Brazil in 2010.
From Pot 1, Ivory Coast will hope to draw one of the host nations, confident they can earn a result against the USA, Canada or Mexico. There’s also a silver lining: two of the strongest Pot 2 teams, Senegal and Morocco, cannot be drawn into the same group, giving the Elephants a clearer path forward.
Nevertheless, a ‘Group of Death’ remains a real possibility. Ivory Coast could find themselves alongside heavyweights like France, Uruguay, and Italy, creating a truly fearsome group.
Despite their football team being nicknamed ‘The Elephants’, there are 37 countries in the world with more elephants than Ivory Coast.
We are pleased to be joined by Mohamed Salad, African football expert to discuss their aims in 2026.
A group stage exit would undoubtedly be a failure, the Albirroja has made the knockout stage in four of the last five editions they participated in. However, the South Americans are yet to win a game outright in the latter stages, the best result a historic penalty shootout win over Japan in Pretoria in 2010.
If they could reach the last 16, by virtue of winning in the newly-formed Round of 32 of this expanded version of the tournament, then Gustavo Alfaro will be hailed a hero and the World Cup deemed a success. Anything beyond that would be dreamland.
Billed as a traditionally gritty team with the worn-out clichés of “well-organized” and “hard to beat”, you might be fooled into thinking the team is built on the hunched shoulders of captain Gustavo Gómez or his Premier League partner in central defence, Omar Alderete.
But the sparkle in this side has always been the Joya (Jewel) who emerged from Libertad and shone briefly with Brighton before crossing the channel. The 21-year-old forward Julio Enciso (pictured) left England with just 7 goals in 70 games but one of those strikes earned him the Premier League goal of the season award. In the qualifiers, he only scored twice from open play but both were world-class long-range efforts. Enciso might be off the mark, he might frustrate but he will certainly catch your attention in North America next summer.
This team has faced Lionel Messi and beaten him. Now several of the team have talked about the possibility of taking on Portugal in the group stage. The two sides only met once, a 0-0 draw in June 2003, two months before Cristiano Ronaldo made his international debut.
History suggests they would do well to avoid France, as they are the side Paraguay have played the most times (5) without ever winning. The most recent meeting was a 5-0 walloping in Rennes in 2017, but they conceded more in their first-ever contest. A 7-3 hammering in Norrkoping at the 1958 World Cup when Just Fontaine netted a hat-trick.