World Cup
2026 World
Cup Draw
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The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place today in Washington, D.C., at midday ET.
President Donald Trump will be present at the Kennedy Center as 12 groups of four teams are formed ahead of next summer’s tournament in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
We will be joined throughout the day by a team of international journalists based in each of the participating nations — and you can get involved by emailing live@theathletic.com.
Realistically, the quarter-finals would be a serious overachievement for a nation as tiny as Croatia, especially because the team failed to win a single game at last year’s European Championship and were eliminated in the group stage.
But in Croatia, they don’t do ‘realistic’ — and after two consecutive medal-winning World Cup campaigns, can you really blame them for being used to miracles and punching above their weight? Once the casual masses join the euphoria bandwagon — and that’s always the case here ahead of any big tournament — the expectations will rise sky-high.
Veterans still lead the charge — Luka Modric is 40 and Ivan Perisic will be 37 come the tournament — while young, unproven players are few and far between, but Luka Vuskovic (pictured) is something else.
The Tottenham Hotspur defender, now 18 and currently on loan to Hamburg in the Bundesliga, is by far the best prospect in this team and he’s likely to become a world class centre-back in the near future. Though Vuskovic only has two caps to his name so far, he’s projected to be a starter in America. Playing with confidence well beyond his age, he’s not only dominant in challenges — especially in the air — but also has superb technique on the ball and will be an attacking threat as well.
From Pot 1, Croatia traditionally don’t fare that well against Spain, France and Portugal, so these teams would best be avoided, as would Brazil and Argentina.
In Pots 3 and 4, any opponent would do but they would rather not play any other European teams. So the dream draw for Croatia would look something like this: Canada, South Africa, Jordan. None of the Pot 2 teams would mind being drawn in such a group, would they?
We now turn our attention to pot 2, beginning with European powerhouses Croatia.
Croatia, which today has a population of under four million people, has competed in six World Cups since gaining independence from Yugoslavia and has finished in the top three in half of them.
Here to explain the might of their footballing prowess is Aleksandar Holiga, Croatian football journalist.
Bafana Bafana have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 2002. So the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw is on the horizon and South Africa's men’s team is waiting with baited breath.
The expectation is that South Africa will do well after years of building what has become one of the best national teams on the African continent. With that said, Bafana Bafana have a duty to not only represent Africa well but to do better than the previous years. Bafana Bafana have never reached the knockout stages on all three previous occasions they’ve been to the World Cup finals.
And this time around, there’s that glimmer of hope Broos will guide Bafana Bafana past the group stages, and possibly reach the last 16 or quarter-finals.
South Africa is blessed with talent and the one player the world is ready to see is Relebohile Mofokeng (pictured). Mofokeng is a 21-year-old who made his debut in 2022, and has already played 104 games for Orlando Pirates with 18 goals and 24 assists to his name as a winger.
But there will be no justice without mentioning Mbekezeli Mbokazi of the same Orlando Pirates team. A tough left-footed central defender who is 20 years old and the world will, for sure, see how talented he is since he’s going to the Major League Soccer (MLS) in February.
With Bafana Bafana in pot 3, it means they could face the likes of England, Spain, Brazil and Uruguay, and all could dent their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
For the majority of South Africans, playing against the likes of Haiti, New Zealand and Mexico — who Bafana Bafana played with in 2010 — would be a dream draw.
After all, this is about breaking the curse of never having been to the knockout stages, which would be like winning the World Cup itself for South Africa.
South Africa became the first host nation to go out in the first round of the World Cup when eliminated in the group stage in 2010. Qatar became the second in 2022.
On their World Cup return, here’s an update from Ernest Makhaya, sports journalist at The South African.
The last time the World Cup was in North America, Saudi Arabia debuted and made the knockout stages. They haven’t gone that far in their five attempts since, so a repeat would go down very well.
There isn’t much confidence at the moment, however, as it’s all been downhill since that famous win over Argentina in 2022. Roberto Mancini arrived a few months later but lasted just 14 bad-tempered months, and the second coming of Herve Renard has yet to match his 2019-2023 tenure.
Saudi Arabia did not impress at all during qualification and only squeezed through the playoffs on goals scored despite being given home advantage and a favourable schedule.
Salem Al-Dawsari (pictured) netted that unforgettable winner against Argentina, and the versatile winger is still the star man despite being 34. Saudi Arabia have had trouble scoring goals, just seven in 10 games in the main round of qualification, and none of those came from a recognised striker, putting even more responsibility on the shoulders of the captain.
He can handle it. In 2025, the Al-Hilal star was named the Saudi Pro League Saudi Player of the season and the AFC Asian Player of the Year. He may not have been at his best for the national team of late, though few have, and that will have to change if this current crop of players are to emulate the heroes of 1994.
Any team that can’t defend would be welcome, given the weak Saudi attack. Lightning in the guise of a group stage win against a global giant is unlikely to strike twice but even so, the glamour of a team like Brazil, France or England would get the juices flowing and give the football scene a sense of how far the journey to the top table is.
Of course, there is always Portugal, the home of Cristiano Ronaldo, the face of the Saudi Pro League, and other Riyadh-based stars like Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix.
In terms of Pot 2, an Arab derby with Morocco could be fun, especially if the group is completed by one of the new boys from the fourth pot.
Eighteen men have played for Saudi Arabia 100 times or more, with no country having produced more international centurions (Mexico and Bahrain also have 18).
Asian football expert John Duerden is back to tell us more about Saudi Arabia’s hopes in 2026.
After three defeats on home soil in 2022, by far the worst performance by a host nation, a win would perhaps be enough to satisfy fans at home and, indeed given the format of the World Cup, could even be enough to advance, and that really would be a cause for celebration in Doha. After hugely impressive back-to-back wins at the last two Asian Cups, the challenge is to take the next step on to the global stage.
The inconsistent performances in qualification were, then, worrying and Qatar would not have come close to making a 32-team tournament, squeezing through at the end. There is a regret that a big-name coach was not hired in 2022, hence the arrival of Julen Lopetegui.
It has to be Akram Afif (pictured) as Qatar have a chance if he plays well. In the team’s twin continental successes in 2019 and 2024, the winger was the standout — not just for his magic card trick goal celebration — and ended up being named as the AFC Asian Player of the Year both years. But when he is not so hot, Qatar tends to struggle.
Equally impressive as a creator or finisher, Afif can play on either side or behind the main striker. He goes where he wants as Qatar’s biggest star but that has not been the case in his club career. A move to Belgium never worked out and, at 29, the time for Europe has gone. This, then, is Afif’s last chance to take his reputation global.
Canada from Pot 1. Not only would that probably offer the best chance of three points but if any team understands the stresses and pressure of being the host nation as well as the weakest of the top seeds, it is Qatar. Then perhaps Ecuador. A rematch from the opening game from the 2022 World Cup, a defeat that set the scene for a dismal few days in the international spotlight and still rankles. And, as it is all about getting the points and out of the group and not about facing the big teams (they can come later), the weakest from Pot 4 –maybe Haiti or Curacao if there is no Canada, and if there is, Cape Verde.
Qatar, where the 2022 tournament was played, is one of three teams whose World Cup debut has come while also being the host nation — along with Uruguay in 1930 and Italy in 1934. Unlike those two teams, however, Qatar did not win the tournament in question.
John Duerden, Asian football expert, tells us more about their chances next summer.
Success for Tunisia at the World Cup would simply mean reaching the knockouts for the first time in their history. Tunisia have played at six World Cups, but have never gone past the group stage. With the new 48-team format and the chance for some third-place teams to advance, this goal feels more realistic than before. For Tunisian fans, getting out of the group would be a true achievement and a proud moment.
The Tunisian player everyone should know is Hannibal Mejbri (pictured), who wears the number 10 shirt. He plays as a midfielder for Burnley in the Premier League and has become one of the most important players in Sami Trabelsi’s system.
Over the past four years, Hannibal has earned a new status in the Tunisian team and is seen as one of the leaders. His name also has special meaning in Tunisia, as Hannibal was a famous general from ancient Carthage, which gives his presence in the team a strong cultural and symbolic value.
A dream World Cup group for Tunisia would include Canada, Iran, and either Curacao or Haiti. These teams are seen as easier to beat. Playing in Canada would be helpful too as more than 50,000 Tunisians live there and would support the team.
A group to avoid would include Spain, Croatia, or a European play-off team, especially Italy if they qualify. A tough draw would make it much harder for Tunisia to reach the knockouts for the first time.
In 1978, Tunisia became the first African side to win a game at the World Cup when beating Mexico 3-1 in their opening match.
To bring us a summary of their hopes in 2025, here’s Tunisian journalist Arafat Hamrouni.
Having missed the last two World Cups, Ivory Coast will be eager to make their mark at the 2026 edition. The team boasts exceptional talent, with players competing at the very highest levels of world football.
Ivory Coast have only ever featured in three World Cups, and each time their journey ended at the group stage. In 2026, that will not be enough. With their talent and current form, the Elephants should not only reach the knockout stages but also have the quality to challenge the tournament’s biggest nations.
Reaching the quarterfinals is a realistic target and should be their focus. With a favourable draw,
they could go even further and make a deep run at the tournament.
This Ivory Coast side is brimming with talent, with players capable of taking a game by the scruff of the neck and winning it on their own, including Amad, Nicolas Pépé, Simon Adingra and more.
Yet as they head into the tournament, the player central to their success will be Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré (pictured). Sangaré provides balance to the Ivory Coast midfield. His rare blend of physical dominance, ball-winning ability and composure on the ball will be vital in breaking up opposition attacks and driving his team forward. His influence could ultimately shape the Elephants’ entire campaign.
Make no mistake, with Ivory Coast in Pot 3, their group is shaping up to be the tournament’s inevitable ‘Group of Death’. They will hope to avoid a repeat of their brutal 2006 and 2010 World Cup groups, which saw them face Argentina and the Netherlands in 2006, and Portugal and Brazil in 2010.
From Pot 1, Ivory Coast will hope to draw one of the host nations, confident they can earn a result against the USA, Canada or Mexico. There’s also a silver lining: two of the strongest Pot 2 teams, Senegal and Morocco, cannot be drawn into the same group, giving the Elephants a clearer path forward.
Nevertheless, a ‘Group of Death’ remains a real possibility. Ivory Coast could find themselves alongside heavyweights like France, Uruguay, and Italy, creating a truly fearsome group.
Despite their football team being nicknamed ‘The Elephants’, there are 37 countries in the world with more elephants than Ivory Coast.
We are pleased to be joined by Mohamed Salad, African football expert to discuss their aims in 2026.
A group stage exit would undoubtedly be a failure, the Albirroja has made the knockout stage in four of the last five editions they participated in. However, the South Americans are yet to win a game outright in the latter stages, the best result a historic penalty shootout win over Japan in Pretoria in 2010.
If they could reach the last 16, by virtue of winning in the newly-formed Round of 32 of this expanded version of the tournament, then Gustavo Alfaro will be hailed a hero and the World Cup deemed a success. Anything beyond that would be dreamland.
Billed as a traditionally gritty team with the worn-out clichés of “well-organized” and “hard to beat”, you might be fooled into thinking the team is built on the hunched shoulders of captain Gustavo Gómez or his Premier League partner in central defence, Omar Alderete.
But the sparkle in this side has always been the Joya (Jewel) who emerged from Libertad and shone briefly with Brighton before crossing the channel. The 21-year-old forward Julio Enciso (pictured) left England with just 7 goals in 70 games but one of those strikes earned him the Premier League goal of the season award. In the qualifiers, he only scored twice from open play but both were world-class long-range efforts. Enciso might be off the mark, he might frustrate but he will certainly catch your attention in North America next summer.
This team has faced Lionel Messi and beaten him. Now several of the team have talked about the possibility of taking on Portugal in the group stage. The two sides only met once, a 0-0 draw in June 2003, two months before Cristiano Ronaldo made his international debut.
History suggests they would do well to avoid France, as they are the side Paraguay have played the most times (5) without ever winning. The most recent meeting was a 5-0 walloping in Rennes in 2017, but they conceded more in their first-ever contest. A 7-3 hammering in Norrkoping at the 1958 World Cup when Just Fontaine netted a hat-trick.
The 2026 World Cup will be Paraguay’s first without Denis Caniza playing since 1986. The full-back appeared at the tournament in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010, the four most recent editions Paraguay has competed at (and the only ones since 1986).
With more on the country’s hopes in 2026, here’s Ralph Hannah, co-host of Guarani Vision, a podcast dedicated to Paraguayan football in English.
Success for Uzbekistan was simply qualifying, having had multiple previous qualification campaigns end in complaints to FIFA, losing from winning positions and self-sabotage. Success going forward is showcasing Uzbek football and Uzbek footballers to a footballing world that has been unaware or uninterested.
Having spent almost a decade investing heavily in their football grassroots, Uzbekistan making the World Cup proves that the investment was a success. Most fans won’t grumble even if they exit at the group stage at the hands of some of the ‘big boys’.
Manchester City’s Abdukodir Khusanov is well known, as is captain Eldor Shomurodov, so I’m going to focus on some of their other players.
Oston Urunov (pictured) is a pacey winger playing for Iranian side Persepolis. Having recently outshone Mohamed Salah in a game against Egypt, the 24-year-old has excellent dribbling and creativity. Famous for his monobrow, the Uzbek can handle the physicality of the most physical defences while retaining his quick feet and vision to spot a pass and/or shooting opportunity.
Fellow winger Abbosbek Fayzullaev won AFC young player of the year in 2023, and has been the starboy of Uzbek football having impressed in the Russian league with CKSA Moscow prior to his recent move to Turkey. He is essential to any success Uzbekistan has next year.
The dream draw is to have either extreme of the draw’s possibilities. A group with lower-ranked opponents — such as Canada, Austria and Haiti — would give them a better chance of progression, but wouldn’t bring much exposure.
If they drew Argentina, Morocco and Italy then it would allow the Uzbek players to play against some of the world’s biggest nations and would be a fantastic experience. Having Italian World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro as manager would add an extra interesting dynamic to that game.
Uzbekistan is the first double-landlocked country to reach the World Cup. Liechtenstein is the only other double-landlocked nation in the world and only eight landlocked countries had previously qualified for the tournament.
We’re delighted to be joined by Conor Bowers, who follows all things Uzbek football and can be found at @_uzbekfootball on X.
A return to the World Cup after a painful 12-year absence is already a positive start for a lot of Algerian fans.
Yet Morocco’s semi-final berth at the Qatar tournament in 2022 only reinforced the belief that African nations should shed any sense of inferiority complex before playing in these competitions.
With the right tactical preparation, passionate fan support and a healthy amount of self-belief, there’s no reason why Algeria shouldn’t realistically target the knockout stages.
And then? Anything is possible.
Mohamed El Amine Amoura (pictured) led the African continent in scoring during World Cup qualifiers, with 10 goals, and has emerged as the true technical leader of this Algerian national team.
The Jijel native usually starts on the left wing of a 4-3-3 shape, but when Algeria takes a lead, he will often move infield and play the number 9 position to keep attacking teams honest, instigating counter-attacks. His greatest attribute is his impressive acceleration, but what truly elevates the threat of Amoura is his willingness to snap into duels, his serious appetite for goals and his natural scoring instincts.
In addition to Amoura, Bayer Leverkusen’s Ibrahim Maza could be one to monitor. The 20-year-old is a modern midfielder who specialises in finding midfield pockets, using close control to quickly turn in space and advance the ball with progressive passes or dribbles. In Germany, many have already dubbed him Florian Wirtz’s natural replacement.
Germany is a team which seems to bring out the best of Algeria at the FIFA World Cup. In 1982, Algeria shook up the world by defeating the tournament’s eventual finalists 2-1 in the group stages. A little more than thirty years later, it was the North Africans who, in the round of 16, gave Mesut Özil and Co their toughest match on their quest to the 2014 trophy.
Another matchup which would make headlines would be Algeria drawing France from Pot 1. France colonised Algeria for 132 years and, at the moment, diplomatic relations between the two countries are extremely tense. The two Mediterranean nations have never met in an official competition, so a potential marquee match-up in a World Cup would be coloured by explicitly political undertones.
In Pot 2, Algerians would probably like to draw Austria to avenge the Shame of Gijon. Any Pot 4 opponent will do, so long as it isn’t one of the European play-off winners, who will surely be the toughest.
Algeria’s first appearance at the World Cup came in 1982 when it was eliminated in the first group stage following the ‘Disgrace of Gijon’, when West Germany and Austria contrived to produce a 1-0 win for the former in the knowledge the result would see them both through to the next round — at Algeria’s expense.
As a consequence, the final matches in the World Cup group stage now always kick off at the same time.
We’re delighted to now be joined by Mazer Mezahi, contributing editor at africasacountry.com and host of the African five-a-side podcast, to preview their chances next summer.
Getting out of the group with good performances.
Despite being the first Arab and African nation to participate in the World Cup, Egypt has never won a match at the tournament. Therefore, reaching the round of 32 will be viewed as a success, assuming it’s not by drawing three matches and qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
Unless you are living under a rock and don’t know Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, the answer is Emam Ashour (pictured).
Ashour is an all-round midfielder who plays for Egyptian club, Al Ahly, and one of the best midfielders in Africa. He is adept at winning duels and putting in a defensive shift, as well as having the technical ability to flourish in attack.
The easiest draw possible.
So, either Canada or Mexico from Pot 1, Japan, Iran or South Korea from Pot 2, and a European team from the play-offs which isn’t Italy.

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