The stage is set for the FIFA World Cup draw, which will occur on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. FIFA has released the final pots for the 48 teams participating in the World Cup.
These pots are based on the FIFA men’s world rankings, with the three host countries — United States, Canada, and Mexico — alongside the nine highest-ranked teams.
Following the draw, the match calendar and stadiums for the World Cup will be unveiled on December 6.
FIFA World Cup Pots
The official pots are as follows:
- Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
- Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
- Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
- Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Offs A, B, C, and D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 and 2
With the expansion to 48 teams for the World Cup, there is potential for groups to be heavily loaded, such as the scenario where the US might face teams like Morocco, Norway, and Ghana in the same group.
Draw Restrictions
No group will comprise more than one team from the same federation except for UEFA, which must have two groups with two UEFA teams due to the requirement of 16 teams.
When are the Playoffs?
All playoffs will take place during the March 2026 international break. UEFA playoffs are scheduled for March 26, concluding with finals on March 31, while inter-confederation playoffs will be held in Mexico from March 23-31.
