The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw takes place in a gala ceremony in Washington DC early on Saturday morning Australian time.
The ramifications for the Socceroos are huge—just as they are for each of the 48 nations that will descend on Mexico, Canada and the USA next June and July.
But what are some of the potential scenarios for Tony Popovic and the Australian squad?
Well, after months of speculation the composition of the all-important draw pots is complete and the Socceroos have just scraped into in Pot 2 based on their current FIFA ranking of 26.
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Theoretically, this means the Socceroos should expect an easier group in the tournament’s opening phase than if they had been placed in Pot 3 as was long feared.
Of course, fate may have other ideas and the big twist is that several higher ranked teams such as Italy and Denmark could qualify from Pot 4—an outcome that won’t become clear until the European Play-Offs are completed next year.
What do the FIFA rankings mean for the Socceroos?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw will be made using four pots of 12 nations, with one nation randomly selected from each pot to form 12 four-team groups to compete in the tournament’s opening stage across Mexico, Canada and the USA.
We’ve looked at the four pots and come up with some good, and not-so-good, scenarios for the Socceroos based on being placed in Pot 2.
Worst Case—Socceroos’ 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw:
- Pot 1 - Argentina (FIFA ranking: 2)
- Pot 2 - Australia (FIFA ranking: 26)
- Pot 3 - Norway (FIFA ranking: 29)
- Pot 4 - Italy* (FIFA ranking: 12)
Best Case—Socceroos’ 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw:
- Pot 1 - Canada (FIFA ranking: 27)
- Pot 2 - Australia (FIFA ranking: 26)
- Pot 3 - South Africa (FIFA ranking: 61)
- Pot 4 - New Zealand (FIFA ranking: 86)
Old Rivalries—Socceroos’ 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw:
- Pot 1 - England (FIFA ranking: 4)
- Pot 2 - Australia (FIFA ranking: 26)
- Pot 3 - Scotland (FIFA ranking: 36)
- Pot 4 - New Zealand (FIFA ranking: 86)
Random Reality—Socceroos’ 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw:
- Pot 1 - France (FIFA ranking: 3)
- Pot 2 - Australia (FIFA ranking: 26)
- Pot 3 - Paraguay (FIFA ranking: 39)
- Pot 4 - Ghana (FIFA ranking: 72)
* Italy is yet to officially qualify.
Note: Under FIFA rules no more than two UEFA nations can be drawn in the same group. No two nations from the same qualifying confederation (apart from UEFA) can be drawn in the same group.
