The 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19 across three host countries, will introduce a novel draw and seeding system for the 48-team tournament. This new format, inspired by tennis-style seeding, aims to ensure that the top-ranked teams face each other as late as possible in the competition.
FIFA's new system places the top four teams in the current rankings—Spain, Argentina, France, and England—on separate pathways in the knockout stages. This means that England will not encounter Spain or Argentina until at least the semi-finals, and France will avoid England until the final. The draw for the World Cup will take place on December 5 at 5 PM UK time.
Here's a breakdown of how the pots are structured:
1. **Pot 1:** Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
2. **Pot 2:** Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
3. **Pot 3:** Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
4. **Pot 4:** Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Off A, B, C and D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 and 2
The draw will commence with teams from Pot 1 being assigned to groups A through L, followed by teams from Pots 2, 3, and 4 in that order. Each team's group position will be determined by a predefined allocation pattern, ensuring that no group has more than one team from the same confederation, except for UEFA, which has 16 teams. Each group must include at least one but no more than two UEFA teams.
The draw event will be held at the John F Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, with US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino in attendance. The ceremony is expected to last approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.
As of now, 42 teams have secured their spots in the 2026 World Cup. The full fixture list, including group games and kick-off times, will be revealed after the draw. The opening match will be held in Mexico City, while the final will take place at the New York-New Jersey (MetLife) Stadium. Key dates for the tournament include:
- Group stage: June 11-27
- Round of 32: June 28 to July 3
- Round of 16: July 4-7
- Quarter-finals: July 9-11
- Semi-finals: July 16-17
- Final: July 19
This innovative approach by FIFA aims to enhance the competitiveness and excitement of the World Cup, ensuring that top-ranked teams face off in the later stages of the tournament.
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