What nations are in the World Cup draw?

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The FIFA World Cup Trophy is seen outside the White House ahead of the FIFA World Cup Draw on Dec. 2, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

On Friday, 42 qualified nations set to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup will find out who they will face in the opening round of the biggest tournament in soccer history. Six nations will still need to qualify in March international playoff tournaments, bringing the total to 48 teams in the FIFA World Cup. 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Draw will take place Friday, Dec. 5, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

The draw will finalize the group stage for the first 48-team World Cup, setting the stage for the largest and most ambitious tournament in FIFA history.

How the World Cup Draw works

The draw will finalize the group stage for the first 48-team World Cup, setting the stage for the largest and most ambitious tournament in FIFA history.

48 teams will be split into 12 groups (A–L) of four teams each.

• The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-place teams advance to the Round of 32.
• Teams are separated into four pots, based on their FIFA World Ranking (as of November 2025).
• One team is drawn from each pot to form every group, ensuring that no two teams from the same confederation (except Europe) are drawn together.

The format is designed to increase global representation while maintaining competitive balance — and to guarantee at least three matches for every team.
 

FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw pots

The tournament host countries Canada, Mexico and the USA will be allocated to pot 1, and the 39 remaining qualified teams will be allocated to the four pots of 12 teams. The final six spots will be determined in March with two tournaments.   

• Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
• Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, Korea Republic, 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-Off A, B, C and D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 and 2 

Italian former player Marco Materazzi and Sweden former player Martin Dahlin pose next to the results of the draw during the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Play-Off draw at the FIFA's Home of Football in Zurich on November 20, 2025. (Photo by Fabrice C

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UEFA playoffs features 16 countries vying for four World Cup berths 

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) World Cup qualifying playoffs will be held in March with 16 teams vying for four World Cup berths. The teams are divided into four pots according to FIFA rankings.

UEFA European playoff teams:

Pot 1
Italy, Denmark, Turkey, and Ukraine

Pot 2
Poland, Wales, Czech Republic, Slovakia

Pot 3
Republic of Ireland, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo

Pot 4
Northern  Ireland, North Macedonia,  Romania, and Sweden

Intercontinental Playoffs features six countries vying for two World Cup berths

The final two World Cup qualifiers will be determined by the Intercontinental Playoffs taking place in March in Mexico.   The tournament  is composed of six teams: one team each from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) — Iraq, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), — Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) — Bolivia, Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) - New Caledonia, and two teams from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) - Jamaica and Suriname.

The four lowest-ranked nations in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will meet in bracket semi-finals with the two highest-ranked teams going directly into the finals. The winners of the two bracket finals will take part in the FIFA World Cup 26.