The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams, giving more nations the chance to compete on soccer’s biggest stage. Fans are eagerly waiting for the group stage draw on December 5, 2025, at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center, which will decide how teams are placed in the tournament’s 12 groups.
Teams are divided into four pots based mainly on the FIFA World Ranking as of November 19, 2025. Pot 1 includes the three host nations—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—plus the nine highest-ranked qualified teams. Pots 2 through 4 group the rest of the nations to create balanced and competitive matchups.
Most teams have already qualified, leaving only six spots undecided at the time of the draw: four UEFA playoff winners and two inter-confederation playoff winners. These teams will be placed in Pot 4 once the playoffs finish in March 2026.
How will the 2026 World Cup draw affect team paths?
The tournament divides teams into four pots, each containing twelve nations. Pot 1 has the three co-hosts—Mexico, Canada, and the United States—plus Spain, Argentina, France, England, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
Jill Ellis, FIFA Chief Soccer Officer and Arsene Wenger, FIFA Chief of Global Soccer Development speaks during a panel discussion. Dan Mullan/Getty Images
Pot 2 includes strong teams like Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, and Australia. These nations provide solid competition against Pot 1 teams.
see also
UEFA 2026 World Cup playoffs draw: What are the brackets, when are they played and how many teams will qualify?
Pot 3 mixes emerging soccer nations with consistent performers, such as Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
Pot 4 has lower-ranked and playoff teams: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, the four UEFA playoff winners (A–D), and the two inter-confederation playoff winners, whose identities will be confirmed in March 2026.
Each group will have one team from each pot to keep the competition balanced. Hosts are already assigned to Groups A (Mexico), B (Canada), and D (United States), while the other Pot 1 teams will fill the remaining nine groups. FIFA rules prevent teams from the same confederation from being in the same group, except for UEFA, which can have up to two European teams per group because of 16 European qualifiers.
Why pot allocations matter
Teams in Pot 1 usually face easier opponents from Pots 2–4 and benefit from host advantages and pre-determined group placement. Pot 4 teams are likely to face tough competition from the higher-ranked teams, making their path to the knockout rounds more challenging. The pot system ensures groups are competitive but fair.
When does the group stage begin?
After the draw on December 5, 2025, the group stage will start on June 11, 2026, and end on June 27, 2026. The tournament will conclude with the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026, after the Round of 32 and knockout rounds determine the champion.
SurveyWhich pot will create the most challenging group in the 2026 World Cup?
Which pot will create the most challenging group in the 2026 World Cup?
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