Everything You Need to Know About the Raffle in Washington
World Cup 2026: With just six months to go until the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup, set to take place from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, FIFA will conduct the group stage draw this Friday in Washington, a crucial step for the 48 participating nations.
The ceremony, which will commence at 12:00 PM local time (6:00 PM GMT+1), will be held at the prestigious Kennedy Center, featuring the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump, several heads of state, and representatives from the qualified federations.
Morocco in a Highly Competitive Pot 2
Morocco, the first African and Arab country to reach the World Cup semifinals in 2022, is placed in a particularly competitive Pot 2, alongside teams like Croatia, Uruguay, Japan, Senegal, and Colombia.
According to FIFA’s regulations, the top four teams in the global rankings—Spain, Argentina, France, and England—are placed in Pot 1, along with the three host nations. If they top their groups, they cannot meet each other until the semifinals.
Draw Procedure: How It Works and the Rules
The draw will begin with the allocation of the 12 teams in Pot 1 into groups A to L. Pots 2, 3, and 4 will be drawn in that order.
As in previous tournaments, geographical restrictions will apply:
Only one country from each confederation per group.
Exception: UEFA, with 16 teams involved, can place two European nations in the same group.
Each group must contain at least one European team.
To ensure sporting balance, the four best nations will be placed in different brackets to avoid any clashes before the final if they finish top of their groups.
Confirmation of the Match Schedule
Although the draw will define the group composition, the final schedule (dates, stadiums, and times) will be published on Saturday, December 6, according to FIFA. The aim is to allow fans worldwide to follow the matches despite time zone differences.
Official Composition of the Pots for World Cup 2026
Pot 1
France, Canada, Mexico, United States, Spain, Argentina, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany.
Pot 2
Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia.
Pot 3
Saudi Arabia, Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, South Africa.
Pot 4
Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, winners of European playoffs A-D, winners of intercontinental playoffs 1-2.
