FIFA 2026 World Cup Draw Keeps Giants Separate
The groups for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have officially been finalized, setting the stage for the largest tournament in the history of international football.
Forty-eight teams will compete across twelve groups, a format never before used in a World Cup. The draw took place Friday night at Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center, where host nations Mexico, Canada and the United States were each placed into separate groups.
The expanded competition marks a major shift for FIFA, with teams divided into pots based on ranking and regional distribution.
Six playoff slots remain undecided until March 2026, meaning several groups still have placeholders rather than confirmed competitors.
Among the most notable groups: Brazil will open the tournament in Group C alongside Morocco, Scotland and Haiti, a matchup already being described as a marquee fixture.
Germany, another favorite, lands in Group E with Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curaçao, while Spain finds itself in Group H with Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde.
Group I features France, Senegal and Norway a combination many analysts believe could be one of the toughest early-stage groups.
Argentina, the defending champion from 2022, is drawn in Group J with Austria, Algeria and Jordan.
Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni returns the World Cup trophy to the stage during the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington (AP/RSS)
The United States, one of the three co-hosts, was placed in Group D with Paraguay, Australia and a yet-to-be-determined European playoff winner.
Several powerhouse teams Brazil, France, Spain, Germany, England, Portugal and Argentina avoided meeting each other in the group stage.
At the same time, the draw has highlighted a number of potential surprises.
With the tournament now fully mapped out, attention turns to the remaining playoffs and the release of the full match schedule.
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