By Albert Traver
Washington, DC (EFE).- FIFA will hold the 2026 World Cup draw on Friday in Washington, DC, bringing together 48 national teams, four seeding pots, and United States President Donald Trump, who will attend as a special guest. The event, hosted at The Kennedy Center, a venue Trump offered to FIFA, begins at 12:00 pm.
The draw will form 12 groups of four teams, marking the first edition of the tournament with 48 participants.
The first pot includes host nations United States, Mexico, and Canada, along with top-ranked contenders: Argentina, Spain, England, France, Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, and Belgium.
The second pot features Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia, and Senegal.
The third pot includes Norway, Panama, Qatar, Egypt, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Algeria, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan.
The fourth pot contains Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, and New Zealand, plus six teams that will qualify in March through European and intercontinental playoffs.
Contenders include Italy, Sweden, Denmark, and potentially Bolivia, Jamaica, or Suriname.
With 48 teams, the tournament will include a round of 32 for the first time and deliver 104 matches, 40 more than Qatar 2022.
Hosts protected; Spain and Argentina kept apart
Mexico, Canada and the US will be assigned as seeded teams to Groups A, B, and D, respectively, ensuring they play their group-stage matches on home soil.
Mexico will play two matches in Mexico City, including the opening match on Jun. 11, 2026, and one in Guadalajara.
Canada will open in Toronto before moving to Vancouver, while the US will play its first and final group matches in Los Angeles, traveling to Seattle for the second.
FIFA will also separate Spain and Argentina, the two highest-ranked teams, placing them on opposite sides of the bracket to allow a potential final but prevent an earlier clash.
The same rule applies to France and England, currently second and third in the rankings.
Confederation rules will prevent teams from the same region from landing in the same group, except for UEFA, which has 16 European qualifiers.
The final tournament schedule, detailing venues and match times, will be released on Saturday.
Big names on stage, and a prize for Trump
The draw will be hosted by former England captain Rio Ferdinand and will feature US sporting icons Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky, and Aaron Judge.
A live show will include Andrea Bocelli, Village People, Robbie Williams, and Nicole Scherzinger, presented by Heidi Klum, Kevin Hart, and Danny Ramirez.
All three host leaders: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Trump, will attend. But attention is expected to focus on Trump’s close relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Infantino is set to present the newly created FIFA Peace Prize, widely expected to be awarded to Trump. The prize was established after Trump was overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize despite his claimed efforts in conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
“It will be the biggest, safest, and most extraordinary football tournament in history,” Trump has said, highlighting his personal involvement in preparations.
He previously appeared alongside Infantino to hand the FIFA Club World Cup trophy to Chelsea. EFE
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