The 2026 FIFA World Cup is closing in, with less than a year to go until the unprecedented event held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Prior to the World Cup taking place is the draw, which will set the matchups for the group stage and prepare the knockout stage bracket for eventual filling out.
The draw is a huge event in itself, with fans of every participating nation excited to find out not just who they will play, but also when and where. The 23 host cities across the World Cup will also be eager to discover which teams will be welcomed to their venue.
With the final set for MetLife Stadium in New York, all 48 teams will be eyeing a deep run to international glory.
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When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw?
The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place on Dec. 5, 2025 at 12 p.m. ET.
The ceremony will be held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, situated on the banks of the Potomac River.
U.S. president Donald Trump announced the event alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Aug. 22 in the Oval Office.
During the announcement, Trump broke a long-held superstition that only World Cup winners should touch the World Cup trophy, handed the famed centerpiece by Infantino. “It’s for winners only,” the FIFA president said before handing it to Trump. The president held for a moment before placing it down on his Oval Office desk, quipping, "That’s a beautiful piece of gold, can I keep it?"
Trump was referencing a viral moment earlier this summer when he revealed Infantino let him keep the original Club World Cup trophy.
The announcement came as a surprise, with Las Vegas considered the likely destination for the draw. According to Adam Crafton of The Athletic, the decision to hold the draw in D.C. surprised not only fans and media, but many of those within FIFA and the 2026 World Cup committee as well.
How will the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw work?
For the first time, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams, necessitating a new draw format.
The group stage will consist of 12 groups of four teams each. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the knockout stage, while eight of the 12 third-place finishers will also qualify for the knockout stage.
The three co-hosts, USA, Canada, and Mexico, have all been pre-drawn into groups. The U.S. will be in Group D, Canada in Group B, and Mexico in Group A.
The draw will largely consist of the same format it has in recent years, just on a larger scale. 42 of the 48 qualifiers will be known at the time of the draw, while six teams will qualify after via the intercontinental playoffs.