FIFA World Cup draw held for record 48-team tournament

已複製連結

World Cup fever has officially begun. After 27 months of qualifying, the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was completed in Washington DC on Friday.

Something new at this edition's FIFA World Cup draw. For the first time, a Group I. And it doesn't stop there. 

Also joining the mix is a Group J, a Group K and Group L.

Almost half the letters of the alphabet needed to accommodate a record 48 teams taking part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The leaders of the three countries: Donald Trump, Claudia Sheinbaum, and Mark Carney, respectively, standing alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, held the names of their own teams.

The teams were placed into pots according to seedings. Six places remain vacant with 22 teams, mostly from Europe, vying to fill the gaps.

Group A will feature one of the hosts Mexico with South Africa, South Korea and the winners of a European playoff competition.

Canada head Group B that also features one of the European playoff qualifiers, Qatar and Switzerland.

Five-time world champions Brazil take on Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in Group C.

The United States are in Group D with Paraguay, Australia and a European qualifier.

Four-time champions Germany appear to have an easy path in Group E against finals debutants Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador.

The Netherlands are among the best countries never to have won a World Cup, and the three-time runners-up face Japan, a European qualifier and Tunisia in Group F.

Belgium face potential obstacles in Group G against Egypt, Iran and New Zealand.

Spain, the 2010 world champions, are placed in Group H with Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

Two-time champions France, among the favourites next year, take on Senegal, a FIFA playoff winner and Norway in Group I.

Lionel Messi's defending champions and three-time winners Argentina are in Group J with Algeria, Austria and Jordan.

Group K features Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, A FIFA playoff winner, Uzbekistan and Colombia.

And England, the 1966 champions, are in a tough Group L against Croatia, Ghana and Panama.

The opening match sees Mexico take on South Africa at the iconic and refurbished Azteca Stadium -- a repeat of the South Africa-hosted 2010 tournament that ended in a 1-1 draw.

The final is on July 26th at the Metlife Stadium, New Jersey.

England manager Thomas Tuchel said his players need to confront the hot weather expected during the tournament.

"The players that came here in the Club World Cup, it was good to experience it," said Tuchel. "It doesn't make it any easier when it comes again to blame the heat and fight against humidity and altitude and different time zones. But it's just what it is. We have to find a way to dig in, we have to find a way to accept it and build a high tolerance to all these obstacles that will come because they will come."

Group I sees a clash between two of the best players in the world, France's Kylian Mbappe and Norway's Erling Haaland.

"Yeah, two men at the moment who are on fire, maybe the two best players in Europe at this moment in time. Let's hope Erling keeps his form," said Norway manager Stale Solbakken.

16 cities, 104 matches in what will be the biggest World Cup ever and potentially the most geopolitically charged given Trump's domestic, economic and military policies involving some of the countries taking part in the tournament.