England and different certified groups are lastly set to search out out who they’re going to be going through within the group phases of the 2026 FIFA males’s World Cup at the moment.
It is assured to be the largest World Cup ever, with 48 groups competing as an alternative of the same old 32.
This is every part it’s good to know.
When is the World Cup draw?
The draw, which determines which groups face which within the group phases, will happen on in Washington DC from 12pm native time, or 5pm UK time tonight.
US President Donald Trump will be part of FIFA’s Gianni Infantino on the John F Kennedy Middle – a performing arts venue the place Mr Trump is chairman – to resolve the fixtures.
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Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Pic: AP
Because of the elevated variety of nations participating within the event, the format of the group phases has modified barely. As a substitute of 32 groups being divided into eight teams, this 12 months will see 12 teams of 4.
The highest two groups in every group, plus the eight greatest third-placed groups, will advance to a spherical of 32.
For the draw, Spain, Argentina, France and England – the 4 highest ranked groups – will probably be positioned in the identical pot for the draw, and are assured to not meet one another till the semi-finals.
The three host nations are additionally assured to not meet early, having been put in Pot 1 with the highest groups.
The draw seedings are as follows:
Pot 1: Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, United States, Mexico, Canada.
Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia.
Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa.
Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, European playoff winner 1, European playoff winner 2, European playoff winner 3, European playoff winner 4, Intercontinental playoff winner 1, Intercontinental playoff winner 2.
You’ll watch the ceremony through FIFA’s web site or YouTube channel, whereas the BBC and BBC iPlayer can even be exhibiting the draw.
Sky Sports activities will probably be providing stay protection of the draw, together with evaluation and response because the teams and fixtures are revealed.
FIFA says the draw is scheduled to take about 45 minutes throughout a present lasting about an hour and a half.
On 6 December at 5pm UK time, FIFA will put out one other broadcast during which it should reveal all match venues and kick-off occasions.
Might Trump be getting a prize?
In November, FIFA revealed it had created a brand new worldwide peace prize, and that it could hand it out for the primary time in the course of the draw ceremony.
It stated it could be given to “individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace” – with no indication that potential recipients had been restricted to the world of sports activities.
It has prompted hypothesis the award will go to Donald Trump, who has lengthy campaigned for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Mr Infantino, who has constructed up a powerful relationship with the US president, backed him for the Nobel prize, writing on Instagram in October that Mr Trump “definitely deserves” the award for his efforts towards a peace deal in Gaza.
The award in the end went to Venezuela’s opposition chief Maria Corina Machado.
When requested later if Mr Trump would get FIFA’s award, Mr Infantino laughed and stated: “On the 5th of December, you will see.”
When and the place is the World Cup?
The event runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026 and will probably be performed at 11 websites in America, three in Mexico and two in Canada.
A complete of 48 nations will probably be concerned – up from 32 in 2022 – and 104 video games will probably be performed general – up from 64.
The host nations mechanically qualify and can play all three of their group stage matches on dwelling soil.
The ultimate will happen on the New York New Jersey (MetLife) Stadium – dwelling of the New York Giants and New York Jets.
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Aerial view of Metlife Stadium, the place the ultimate will probably be performed. Pic: AP
All stadiums the place video games will probably be performed embody:
America:• Atlanta Stadium• Boston Stadium• Dallas Stadium• Houston Stadium• Kansas Metropolis Stadium• Los Angeles Stadium• Miami Stadium• New York New Jersey Stadium• Philadelphia Stadium• San Francisco Bay Space Stadium• Seattle Stadium
Mexico:• Estadio Azteca Mexico Metropolis• Estadio Guadalajara• Estadio Monterrey
Canada:• Toronto Stadium• BC Place Vancouver Stadium
Trump threatening to alter host cities
Regardless of the stadiums already being chosen, Donald Trump has threatened to take away Democrat-run metropolis of Los Angeles from internet hosting, together with the Boston space.
Boston itself shouldn’t be a number space, however the dwelling of the NFL’s New England Patriots is being utilized by FIFA for seven matches, 30 miles away in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
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Might Trump transfer World Cup matches?
“If we think there’s going to be a sign of any trouble, I would ask Gianni [Infantino] to move that to a different city,” Mr Trump stated in November, as protests in opposition to his authorities have taken place in each cities.
In an announcement, FIFA stated: “Safety and security are the top priorities at all FIFA events worldwide.
“Security and safety are clearly the governments’ duty, they usually resolve what’s in one of the best curiosity for public security.
“We hope every one of our 16 host cities will be ready to successfully host and fulfil all necessary requirements.”
Scott LeTellier, who was managing director of the 1994 World Cup in America, urged the cities in query should not fear about Mr Trump’s threats, as altering the stadiums would require “some kind of national emergency that would give the government the authority to cancel an event”.
“I don’t see even a remote chance of that happening,” he stated.
What groups might nonetheless qualify?
Out of an obtainable 48 spots, 42 groups have already certified.
The road-up mechanically consists of the three host nations, America, Mexico and Canada. Whereas 16 of the spots are reserved for European groups – made up of the 12 UEFA qualifying group winners and the opposite 4 coming through play-offs.
Remaining qualifying spots are divided between the opposite confederations:• CONMEBOL (South America) will get a minimal of six• CONCACAF (North/Central America and Caribbean) will get a minimal of six• AFC (Asia) will get eight• CAF (Africa) will get 9• OFC (Oceania) is assured one spot.
For the primary time since 1998, Scotland have bagged themselves a spot by means of qualifying whereas Jordan, Curacao, Cape Verde and Uzbekistan will all make their World Cup debuts.
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Scotland qualify for World Cup
The ultimate slots on the event will probably be determined by means of play-offs.
On one facet, a brand new inter-confederation event will see two groups from CONCACAF and one staff every from CONMEBOL, AFC, CAF and OFC to battle it out for 2 spots within the World Cup.
The six groups which have certified for these play-offs are: Bolivia, Congo DR, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname.
European, or UEFA, play-offs work barely in another way, with 16 groups battling it out for 4 obtainable areas.
This event is made up of the 12 runners-up from the European Qualifiers teams and the 4 best-ranked group winners of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League that didn’t end their group stage in first or second place.
On 20 November, a draw to find out who is about to play who within the eight semi-final matches on 26 March 2026 was made by FIFA. The winners will advance to the 4 final-stage matches on 31 March.
Ought to Wales and Northern Eire each win their first-round video games, they may then face one another, placing two dwelling nations up in opposition to each other.
Will there be a half-time present?
Regardless of different finals having had musical acts earlier than, this would be the first half-time present.
Earlier this 12 months, FIFA’s Mr Infantino stated British band Coldplay is behind the decision-making on a number of artists who will carry out – none have been confirmed to this point.
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Coldplay’s Chris Martin will assist resolve who will carry out on the World Cup half-time present. Pic: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
Meet the mascots – and the ball
As there are three host nations, this 12 months’s World Cup additionally comes with three mascots.
Maple the moose, Zayu the jaguar and Clutch the bald eagle will signify host nations Canada, Mexico and America respectively.
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Pic: Reuters
Additionally reflecting the three co-hosts is the official World Cup match ball – Trionda – which implies three waves in Spanish.
The ball encompasses a swirled sample incorporating crimson, inexperienced and blue, with every part representing a number nation.
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The official ball of the 2026 FIFA World Cup named Trionda. Pic: Reuters
How a lot are tickets?
FIFA says the most affordable tickets are from $60 (£45) within the group stage. However the most costly tickets for the ultimate are $6,730 (£5,094).
Initially, FIFA urged tickets could be offered utilizing dynamic pricing, that means followers would pay completely different costs based on demand.
Variable pricing – fluctuating based mostly on demand – had by no means been used at a World Cup earlier than, elevating considerations about affordability.
FIFA has now backed away from it, saying allocations could be set at a hard and fast value at some point of the following ticket gross sales part.
How one can get tickets
Tickets for the World Cup have been launched in three phases, every with barely completely different guidelines on who should buy the tickets and the way.
Section one was a Visa Presale Draw for individuals with a sound, unexpired Visa debit card, bank card, or reloadable pay as you go card enabled with 3D Safe. This part has now closed.
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Argentina are reigning World Cup champions. Pic: Reuters
Section two ran from 27 to 31 October, and noticed registered people allotted time slots to buy tickets from 12 November to early December.
The third part, referred to as a random choice draw, will begin after the ultimate draw determines the World Cup schedule.
It begins on 11 December, with the entry interval for followers open till 13 January.
These wanting tickets might want to have a FIFA ID upfront, which might be made through FIFA.com/tickets.
It is from this identical web site that entries to the random choice draw will start on 11 December, at 4pm UK time.
