The torch has been lit finally on December 5 for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States, Mexico and Canada. FIFA have officially announced the FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule, groups following the live draw at the Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C.
The year 2026 is going to be full different sporting spectacles. But the biggest that every fans are awaiting for is the FIFA World Cup 2026 which will take place from June 11 with the final match to be played on July 19, 2026.
The World Cup 2026 will be the biggest ever in the history of the football World Cup. For the first time, the tournament has expanded to 48 teams from 32 teams. Argentina will enter the competition as the defending champions having won the trophy in a thrilling match-up vs France in the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 Full List of Teams
The expansion to 48 teams means that four teams will be making their debut in the Football World Cup, they are Jordan, Uzbekistan, Cape Verde and Curacao becoming the smallest nation ever to play in any FIFA World Cup till date.
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FIFA World Cup 2026 Groups
The FIFA World Cup 2026 groups are out after the final FIFA World Cup 2026 draw was conducted on Friday. All 48 teams in the tournament have been divided into 12 groups for 4 teams each. Check out below all the 12 groups for the World Cup 2026.
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | Canada | Brazil | USA |
| South Africa | UEFA Playoff A Winner | Morocco | Paraguay |
| Korea Republic | Qatar | Haiti | Australia |
| UEFA Playoff D Winner | Switzerland | Scotland | UEFA Playoff C Winner |
| Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Netherlands | Belgium | Spain |
| Curacao | Japan | Egypt | Cabo Verde |
| Ecuador | UEFA Playoff B Winner | Iran | Saudi Arabia |
| Cote d’Ivorie | Tunisia | New Zealand | Uruguay |
| Group I | Group J | Group K | Group L |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | Argentina | Portugal | England |
| Senegal | Algeria | FIFA Playoff 1 Winner | Croatia |
| FIFA Playoff 2 Winner | Austria | Colombia | Ghana |
| Norway | Jordan | Uzbekistan | Panama |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Playoffs Contenders
- UEFA Play-off A: Italy, Wales, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland
- UEFA Play-off B: Ukraine, Poland, Albania, Sweden
- UEFA Play-off C: Türkiye, Slovakia, Kosovo, Romania
- UEFA Play-off D: Denmark, Czechia, Republic of Ireland, North Macedonia
- FIFA Intercontinental Play-off 1: DR Congo, Jamaica, New Caledonia
- FIFA Intercontinental Play-off 2: Iraq, Bolivia, Suriname
FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule
The FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule was revealed after the official draw was conducted. The opening match of the tournament will be played between co-host Mexico and South Korea Mexico.
Below is the FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule in complete.
Group Stage
| Date | Time (IST) | Group | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 June 2026 | 12:30 a.m. | Group A | Mexico vs South Africa |
| 12 June 2026 | 7:30 a.m. | Group A | South Korea vs UEFA Playoff D Winner |
| 13 June 2026 | 12:30 a.m. | Group B | Canada vs UEFA Playoff A Winner |
| 13 June 2026 | 6:30 a.m. | Group D | USA vs Paraguay |
| 13 June 2026 | 9:30 a.m. | Group D | Australia vs UEFA Playoff C Winner |
| 14 June 2026 | 12:30 a.m. | Group B | Qatar vs Switzerland |
| 14 June 2026 | 3:30 a.m. | Group C | Brazil vs Morocco |
| 14 June 2026 | 6:30 a.m. | Group C | Haiti vs Scotland |
| 14 June 2026 | 10:30 p.m. | Group E | Germany vs Curaçao |
| 15 June 2026 | 1:30 a.m. | Group F | Netherlands vs Japan |
| 15 June 2026 | 4:30 a.m. | Group E | Ivory Coast vs Ecuador |
| 15 June 2026 | TBD | Group F | UEFA Playoff B Winner vs Tunisia |
| 15 June 2026 | TBD | Group H | Spain vs Cape Verde |
| 16 June 2026 | 12:30 a.m. | Group G | Belgium vs Egypt |
| 16 June 2026 | TBD | Group H | Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay |
| 16 June 2026 | 6:30 a.m. | Group G | Iran vs New Zealand |
| 16 June 2026 | TBD | Group J | Austria vs Jordan |
| 17 June 2026 | 12:30 a.m. | Group I | France vs Senegal |
| 17 June 2026 | 3:30 a.m. | Group I | FIFA Playoff 2 Winner vs Norway |
| 17 June 2026 | TBD | Group J | Argentina vs Algeria |
| 17 June 2026 | 10:30 p.m. | Group K | Portugal vs FIFA Playoff 1 Winner |
| 18 June 2026 | TBD | Group L | England vs Croatia |
| 18 June 2026 | TBD | Group L | Ghana vs Panama |
| 18 June 2026 | 7:30 a.m. | Group K | Uzbekistan vs Colombia |
| 18 June 2026 | 9:30 p.m. | Group A | UEFA Playoff D Winner vs South Africa |
| 19 June 2026 | TBD | Group B | Switzerland vs UEFA Playoff A Winner |
| 19 June 2026 | TBD | Group B | Canada vs Qatar |
| 19 June 2026 | 6:30 a.m. | Group A | Mexico vs South Korea |
| 19 June 2026 | TBD | Group D | UEFA Playoff C Winner vs Paraguay |
| 20 June 2026 | TBD | Group D | USA vs Australia |
| 20 June 2026 | 3:30 a.m. | Group C | Scotland vs Morocco |
| 20 June 2026 | 6:30 a.m. | Group C | Brazil vs Haiti |
| 20 June 2026 | 9:30 a.m. | Group F | Tunisia vs Japan |
| 20 June 2026 | 10:30 p.m. | Group F | Netherlands vs UEFA Playoff B Winner |
| 21 June 2026 | 1:30 a.m. | Group E | Germany vs Ivory Coast |
| 21 June 2026 | 5:30 a.m. | Group E | Ecuador vs Curaçao |
| 21 June 2026 | 9:30 p.m. | Group H | Spain vs Saudi Arabia |
| 22 June 2026 | 12:30 a.m. | Group G | Belgium vs Iran |
| 22 June 2026 | 3:30 a.m. | Group H | Uruguay vs Cape Verde |
| 22 June 2026 | 6:30 a.m. | Group G | New Zealand vs Egypt |
| 22 June 2026 | TBD | Group J | Argentina vs Austria |
| 23 June 2026 | 2:30 a.m. | Group I | France vs FIFA Playoff 2 Winner |
| 23 June 2026 | 5:30 a.m. | Group I | Norway vs Senegal |
| 23 June 2026 | TBD | Group J | Jordan vs Algeria |
| 23 June 2026 | 10:30 p.m. | Group K | Portugal vs Uzbekistan |
| 24 June 2026 | TBD | Group L | England vs Ghana |
| 24 June 2026 | TBD | Group L | Panama vs Croatia |
| 24 June 2026 | 7:30 a.m. | Group K | Colombia vs FIFA Playoff 1 Winner |
| 25 June 2026 | TBD | Group B | Switzerland vs Canada |
| 25 June 2026 | TBD | Group B | UEFA Playoff A Winner vs Qatar |
| 25 June 2026 | 3:30 a.m. | Group C | Morocco vs Haiti |
| 25 June 2026 | 3:30 a.m. | Group C | Scotland vs Brazil |
| 25 June 2026 | 6:30 a.m. | Group A | South Africa vs South Korea |
| 25 June 2026 | 6:30 a.m. | Group A | UEFA Playoff D Winner vs Mexico |
| 26 June 2026 | 1:30 a.m. | Group E | Curaçao vs Ivory Coast |
| 26 June 2026 | 1:30 a.m. | Group E | Ecuador vs Germany |
| 26 June 2026 | TBD | Group F | Tunisia vs Netherlands |
| 26 June 2026 | TBD | Group F | Japan vs UEFA Playoff B Winner |
| 26 June 2026 | TBD | Group D | UEFA Playoff C Winner vs USA |
| 26 June 2026 | TBD | Group D | Paraguay vs Australia |
| 27 June 2026 | 12:30 a.m. | Group I | Norway vs France |
| 27 June 2026 | 12:30 a.m. | Group I | Senegal vs FIFA Playoff 2 Winner |
| 27 June 2026 | TBD | Group H | Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia |
| 27 June 2026 | TBD | Group H | Uruguay vs Spain |
| 27 June 2026 | 8:30 a.m. | Group G | New Zealand vs Belgium |
| 27 June 2026 | 8:30 a.m. | Group G | Egypt vs Iran |
| 28 June 2026 | TBD | Group L | Panama vs England |
| 28 June 2026 | TBD | Group L | Croatia vs Ghana |
| 28 June 2026 | 5:00 a.m. | Group K | Colombia vs Portugal |
| 28 June 2026 | 5:00 a.m. | Group K | FIFA Playoff 1 Winner vs Uzbekistan |
| 28 June 2026 | 7:30 a.m. | Group J | Algeria vs Austria |
| 28 June 2026 | 7:30 a.m. | Group J | Jordan vs Argentina |
Where and How to Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw ?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 draw will be held at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C. The draw will be held on December 5, Friday from 10:30 P.M. Indian Standard Time (IST). For the first time, the tournament will be co-host by three nations, the United States, Canada and Mexico.
| VENUE | TIME (IST) |
|---|---|
| Kennedy Centre, Washington D.C. | 10:30 P.M. |
How to Watch FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw Live Streaming in India?
There is excitement among the football fans in India for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 draw. Unfortunately there won’t be any live telecast of the draw in India due to there is still no official broadcaster for FIFA World Cup 2026 in India yet. However, fans can watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw live streaming on FIFA+ app through their mobile devices. Also you can all the latest update on FIFA website.
| TELECAST | LIVE STREAMING |
|---|---|
| Not Available | FIFA+ App |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Pots
The FIFA World Cup 2026 pots for the draw is as below. The three hosts nations for the tournament have already been placed with Mexico in Group A, Canada in Group B and United States of America (USA) in Group D.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (co-host) (14) | Croatia (10) | Norway (29) | Jordan (66) |
| Mexico (co-host) (15) | Morocco (11) | Panama (30) | Cape Verde (68) |
| Canada (co-host) (27) | Colombia (13) | Egypt (34) | Ghana (72) |
| Spain (1) | Uruguay (16) | Algeria (35) | Curaçao (82) |
| Argentina (2) | Switzerland (17) | Scotland (36) | Haiti (84) |
| France (3) | Japan (18) | Paraguay (39) | New Zealand (86) |
| England (4) | Senegal (19) | Tunisia (40) | UEFA Playoffs Path A winner |
| Brazil (5) | Iran (20) | Ivory Coast (42) | UEFA Playoffs Path B winner |
| Portugal (6) | South Korea (22) | Uzbekistan (50) | UEFA Playoffs Path C winner |
| Netherlands (7) | Ecuador (23) | Qatar (51) | UEFA Playoffs Path D winner |
| Belgium (8) | Austria (24) | Saudi Arabia (60) | Inter-confederation Path 1 winner |
| Germany (9) | Australia (26) | South Africa (61) | Inter-confederation Path 2 winner |
