What time does the World Cup draw actually start? When to expect FIFA bracket on Fox broadcast

David Suggs

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What time does the World Cup draw actually start? When to expect FIFA bracket on Fox broadcast image

The 2026 World Cup promises to be bigger than ever, with 48 teams slated to compete in North America next summer.

Some hail from small islands, like Cape Verde and Curaçao. Others emerge from football factories, including Brazil and Argentina. All will find a home at the stadiums that pockmark the United States, Mexico and Canada.

On Friday, we’ll learn just who the likes of Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembélé and Lionel Messi will play against when they take the field for their respective teams. There will be plenty of pomp and circumstance before the draw actually begins, however. Between musical performances and speeches from heads of state, shows like Friday’s have a tendency to drag.

So, just when does the World Cup draw actually start? AllSportsPeople has you covered.

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What time does the World Cup draw start?

  • Date: Friday, Dec. 5
  • Start time (approx.): 12:30-12:45 p.m. ET
  • Location: Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.

The World Cup draw is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. ET on Friday. The actual draw itself is expected to take around 45 minutes to complete. The remaining 45 minutes of the program will feature interviews, musical performances by Robbie Williams, Andrea Bocelli and Nicole Scherzinger, as well as analysis. FIFA president Gianni Infantino is expected to give a speech, as is Donald Trump.

For those looking to watch only the draw, it’s recommended to tune in around 12:30 p.m. ET. Former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand will conduct the draw. He’ll be joined by broadcaster Samantha Johnson and a host of special guests, including Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge and Shaquille O’Neal.

The festivities will conclude with a performance by the Village People, who are expected to play "Y.M.C.A.," a song closely associated with Trump.

MORE: Teams and pots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw

How long does the World Cup draw take?

The draw is expected to take around 45 minutes.

How does the World Cup draw work?

Each team's name is written on a slip of paper, which is then placed inside a plastic ball and put in a pot numbered 1, 2, 3 or 4, based on that side's FIFA ranking. Draw participants then pull one ball from each pot to fill out the four-team group.

A computer allocates drawn teams at random, placing them in its appropriate group based on geographical restrictions based on the the location of the tournament.

The process is done over four stages. When the dust settles on Friday's festivities, teams will know their group-stage adversaries, as well as their path through the knockout bracket should they qualify.

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How to watch the 2026 World Cup draw

  • ENGLISH:
    • TV channel: FOX
    • Streaming: Fubo, Fox Sports app
  • SPANISH:

FOX has the English-language rights to all major FIFA competitions in the United States through the 2026 World Cup.

Thus, they will have the rights to the World Cup draw, with the event televised on FOX.

There will be a Spanish-language broadcast also available on Telemundo. All broadcasts will be accessible on Fubo, who are offering a free trial for new users. The Spanish-language broadcast is also available on Peacock.

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