Final Draw for FIFA World Cup 2026: Key details, format and who’s in
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw will occur on December 5, 2025, at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. A total of 42 teams, including the three co-hosts, have qualified so far, with six spots remaining. The draw structure will determine group allocations for the participating nations.
The long road to the FIFA World Cup 2026 is nearing one of its most important checkpoints. After a dramatic week of qualifiers around the globe, attention now shifts to the Final Draw, a moment that will shape the path for the 48 participating nations. Here is everything fans need to know as the biggest World Cup in history moves into a new phase.
When the draw takes place
The Final Draw is scheduled for Friday, 5 December 2025. The ceremony begins at 12:00 Eastern Time, which corresponds to 18:00 CET and 17:00 GMT, setting the stage for a global audience across multiple continents.
Where the draw will be held
The iconic John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. will serve as the venue. The location reflects the scale of the 2026 tournament, shared by Canada, Mexico and the United States in what will be the first World Cup to feature three host nations and 48 teams.
The nations already qualified
A total of 42 teams have booked their place in the Final Draw, including the three co-hosts. Here is the full list of nations that will be part of the ceremony:
Co-hosts
Canada
Mexico
United States
AFC
Australia
IR Iran
Japan
Jordan
Korea Republic
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Uzbekistan
CAF
Algeria
Cabo Verde
Côte d’Ivoire
Egypt
Ghana
Morocco
Senegal
South Africa
Tunisia
Concacaf
Curaçao
Haiti
Panama
CONMEBOL
Argentina
Brazil
Colombia
Ecuador
Paraguay
Uruguay
OFC
New Zealand
UEFA
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
England
France
Germany
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
Scotland
Spain
Switzerland
Six spots still up for grabs
The full list of 48 teams will not be finalized until March 2026.
UEFA play-offs
Four remaining places will be claimed through the 16-team European playoff bracket. The contenders include:
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, Denmark, Italy, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, North Macedonia, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Türkiye, Ukraine and Wales.
FIFA Play-Off Tournament
The last two World Cup berths will be awarded through a six-team intercontinental play-off featuring
Bolivia, Congo DR, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname.
How the draw will work
The host nations will be placed automatically:
Mexico in A1, Canada in B1 and the United States in D1, following the format set in the tournament’s official match schedule.
Pot structure
The teams will be drawn in the following order, starting with Pot 1 and ending with Pot 4.
Pot 1:
Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
Pot 2:
Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR 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, D, and the two FIFA Play-Off Tournament winners
The draw begins with Pot 1 teams allocated to Groups A through L. Pots 2, 3 and 4 follow in order.
How to watch the 2026 Final Draw
The full ceremony will be streamed live on FIFA.com and across all official FIFA World Cup social channels. FIFA’s broadcast partners will also carry the event, including TSN and RDS for viewers in Canada.
