The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw takes place on Friday, December 5, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. This event will reveal the groups for the 48-team tournament, including the 42 qualified teams and placeholders for six playoff spots. Kansas City soccer legend Matt Besler highlighted the excitement it brings to fans.
The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled for Friday, December 5, starting at 12 p.m. ET. Hosted at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., it will determine the group stage matchups for the expanded 48-team tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA has divided the teams into four pots based on relative strength to ensure balanced groups. Each of the 12 groups will include one team from each pot. Pot 1 features the three co-hosts—Canada, Mexico, and the USA—along with other top seeds: Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. Pot 2 includes Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, and Australia. Pot 3 comprises Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa. Pot 4 contains Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, and the six playoff winners: four from UEFA playoffs (A: Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina; B: Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania; C: Turkiye, Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo; D: Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, Ireland) and two from intercontinental playoffs (Tournament 1: New Caledonia, Jamaica, DR Congo; Tournament 2: Bolivia, Suriname, Iraq).
Group restrictions prevent more than two UEFA teams per group and limit other confederations to one team each. The full tournament schedule will be announced on Saturday, December 6.
In the U.S., viewers can watch on Fox networks and Fox Sports app for English coverage, or Telemundo and Peacock for Spanish. Kansas City, hosting six matches in June and July 2026, will hold a watch party from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Power and Light District.
Former U.S. Men's National Team player Matt Besler, who played in the 2014 World Cup and with Sporting KC, shared his perspective. “Hopefully there’s some exciting teams that get drawn in the same pool,” Besler said. “I think from the fan’s perspective, it’s just a fun kickoff event to be a part of.” He added that the draw makes the tournament feel real, allowing fans to visualize teams coming to cities like Kansas City and opponents for the U.S.
On Tuesday, KC2026 organizers unveiled a transportation plan to aid fans during the matches.