FIFA confirms Messi’s Argentina, Ronaldo’s Portugal won’t clash in 2026 World Cup group stage

With less than 200 days to go until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will not face each other in the group stage, FIFA confirmed.

The news comes as the procedures for the Final Draw were released, outlining how the 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups of four. Fans around the world are now looking ahead to the draw on December 5 in Washington, D.C., where each team will learn its group stage path.

The draw will place the hosts—Canada, Mexico, and the USA—in Pot 1, along with the top nine ranked teams, including Argentina and Portugal. The remaining 39 teams are split into Pots 2, 3, and 4 based on the FIFA Men’s World Rankings, with play-off winners added to Pot 4. To keep the tournament balanced, the highest-ranked teams are placed on opposite pathways, so they cannot meet before the final.

How will the draw work?

The Final Draw will start with Pot 1 teams, including the hosts and the top-ranked nations, being drawn into positions 1 of each group. Pots 2, 3, and 4 will follow in order, filling out the groups. Teams from the same confederation will generally be kept apart, except for UEFA, which can have up to two teams in one group.

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal shakes hands with Lionel Messi of Argentina prior to the International Friendly. Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Balancing the tournament

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FIFA has confirmed that the four highest-ranked teams—Spain, Argentina, France, and England—will be drawn into opposite pathways in the knockout bracket, ensuring they don’t meet at least until the semifinals.

And if they win their groups, they will not meet before the final, helping maintain a competitive and balanced tournament. Play-off winners from Pot 4 will also be allocated carefully to respect confederation constraints and avoid clashes.

Match schedule and fan planning

After the draw on December 5, fans can expect the complete match schedule to be released on December 6. Each match will be assigned a stadium and a kick-off time, allowing teams to prepare and audiences worldwide to follow the action live across different time zones