World Cup 2026 draw live updates

By Olayonwa Toyib -

World Cup 2026 draw live updates: Results, groups and match schedule from today’s ceremony


World Cup draw results — reaction
The United States will play Australia, Paraguay and a European playoff winner in Group D of next summer’s World Cup.

The draw for the tournament took place at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and followed President Donald Trump receiving the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize.


Dutch feeling happy with their draw


Optimism and relief could be a good way to describe the Netherlands’ feelings about the World Cup draw. They have been placed into Group F alongside Japan, Tunisia and one of Ukraine, Poland, Albania or Sweden.

Getting Japan instead of a top-ranked CONMEBOL team might seem like a tough break. But there are five Japan internationals in the Eredivisie, such as Ayase Ueda, Ko Itakura, and Tsuyoshi Watanabe, and that knowledge could play to Ronald Koeman's advantage.

Tunisia will be challenging, so too the European playoff winner, but Oranje should be able to make it to the round of 16 without much suffering. We all know a World Cup is never wholly predictable, and no one should ever be underestimated, however.

Let's dive into the entire 48-team field.

Group A
  • Mexico
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • European Playoff D (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, Ireland)

Group B
  • Canada
  • European Playoff A (Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, Bosnia & Herzegovina)
  • Qatar
  • Switzerland

Group C
  • Brazil
  • Morocco
  • Haiti
  • Scotland

Group D
  • United States
  • Paraguay
  • Australia
  • European Playoff C (Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo)

Group E
  • Germany
  • Curaçao
  • Ivory Coast
  • Ecuador

Group F
  • Netherlands
  • Japan
  • European Playoff B (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania)
  • Tunisia

Group G
  • Belgium
  • Egypt
  • Iran
  • New Zealand

Group H
  • Spain
  • Cape Verde
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Uruguay

Group I
  • France
  • Senegal
  • FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Tournament 2 (Bolivia, Suriname, Iraq)
  • Norway

Group J
  • Argentina
  • Algeria
  • Austria
  • Jordan

Group K
  • Portugal
  • FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Tournament 1 (Jamaica, New Caledonia, DR Congo)
  • Uzbekistan
  • Colombia

Group L
  • England
  • Croatia
  • Ghana
  • Panama

World Cup schedule

The 2026 World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Expanded to 48 teams, the tournament will unfold at 16 stadiums – five of them home to Major League Soccer clubs.

The schedule breakdown is below:
  • Group stage: June 11-27
  • Round of 32: June 28 - July 3
  • Round of 16: July 4-7
  • Quarterfinals: July 9-11
  • Semifinals: July 14-15
  • Third place: July 18
  • Final: July 19

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