The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw takes place on Friday at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., at 12 p.m. ET. The event will assign 42 qualified teams and six playoff placeholders into 12 groups of four for the expanded 48-team tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Co-hosts include Heidi Klum, Kevin Hart, and Danny Ramirez, with performances by Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, and Village People.
The draw ceremony marks a key milestone ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19 across 16 host cities in three North American countries. It will feature 104 matches, the most in tournament history, with the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Of the 48 spots, 42 teams have qualified, including hosts United States, Canada, and Mexico, while six will be decided in March 2026 playoffs.
Teams are divided into four pots based on FIFA rankings and confederations. Pot 1 includes the hosts and top-ranked nations like Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. Pot 2 features Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, and Australia. Pot 3 comprises Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa. Pot 4 holds Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, and the six playoff winners.
Draw restrictions ensure no more than one team per confederation per group, except UEFA, which may have two in some groups due to its 16 participants. The top four ranked teams—Spain, Argentina, France, and England—will be placed in opposite pathways to avoid early matchups. Former England captain Rio Ferdinand and broadcaster Samantha Johnson will conduct the draw, assisted by Tom Brady, Shaquille O'Neal, Wayne Gretzky, and Aaron Judge. Eli Manning serves as red carpet host.
Performances include Andrea Bocelli, a duet by Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, and Village People closing with 'Y.M.C.A.'. U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are expected to attend. FIFA will also unveil its match schedule on Saturday and introduce the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. The event airs live on Fox and streams on Fubo.
