The draw for the 2026 World Cup has determined the path for the 42 national teams that have secured their spots, as well as the six remaining berths to be decided in the playoffs, revealing how the twelve groups are now set.
Each group consists of four participating teams; the top two from each group will advance to the next round, along with the eight best third-place finishers.
Mexico, Canada, and the United States, as co-hosts, were assigned the A1, B1, and D1 positions, respectively.
The 2026 World Cup Groups Are Set
-Group A
- Mexico
- South Africa
- South Korea
- UEFA Playoff D Winner
_Group B
¨Group C
+Group D
- United States
- Paraguay
- Australia
- UEFA Playoff C Winner
*Group E
*Group F
- Netherlands
- Japan
- UEFA Playoff B Winner
- Tunisia
/Group G
/Group H
- Spain
- Cape Verde
- Saudi Arabia
- Uruguay
^Group I
^Group J
Group K
Group L
A Sigh of Relief for the U.S.?
In short, the draw appears favorable for the United States in Group D.
The Americans will face Australia, the lowest-ranked team in Pot 2, along with Paraguay. The only European team in their group will be either Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, or Kosovo.
These Countries Can Still Qualify
Four European teams will secure their spots through the UEFA playoffs, while the other two will do so via the global playoff, which includes teams from around the world.
The teams competing in each playoff are as follows.
UEFA Playoff A: Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, or Bosnia-Herzegovina
UEFA Playoff Path B: Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, and Albania.
–UEFA Playoff C: Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo
_UEFA Playoff D: Denmark, North Macedonia, Czech Republic, and Ireland
*FIFA Playoff 1: New Caledonia, Jamaica, and Congo
FIFA Playoff 2: Bolivia, Suriname, and Iraq
Image: EspnDeportes
