WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was conducted on Friday at John F. Kennedy Center, setting the stage for the first 48-team edition of football's biggest tournament.
With expanded group formats and an unprecedented number of matches across Canada, Mexico and the United States, the draw ceremony delivered several headline-grabbing clashes.
Following the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland have emerged as the two biggest stars in world football. Their national teams, France and Norway, will meet early in the group stage after being drawn together in Group I. Senegal, one of Africa's strongest sides, adds further weight to the group. The winner among Ukraine, Sweden, Poland and Albania from the European play-offs will complete what many are already calling a "Group of Death".
Morocco, the surprise package of the last World Cup, has been drawn with Brazil in Group C, putting Scotland and Haiti in the group under significant pressure.
England and Croatia find themselves together in Group L, a pairing of two sides widely considered capable of challenging for the title. For Ghana and Panama, progressing from this group will be a major challenge.
If Italy advances through the European play-offs, it will join Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B. Which teams will advance from this group remains highly uncertain.
In the opening match of the tournament, Mexico will face South Africa on home soil. South Korea is also in Group A, alongside the winner of the play-off between Denmark, North Macedonia, the Czech Republic and Ireland.
Following is the draw in full:
Group A: Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, European playoff winner D (Denmark/North Macedonia/Czech Republic/Ireland);
Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, European playoff winner A (Italy/Northern Ireland/Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina);
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti;
Group D: United States, Australia, Paraguay, European playoff winner C (Türkiye/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo);
Group E: Germany, Curacao, Cote d'Ivoire, Ecuador;
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, European playoff winner B (Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania);
Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand;
Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde;
Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, FIFA playoff Winner (Bolivia/Suriname/Iraq);
Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan;
Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, FIFA playoff Winner (New Caledonia/Jamaica/Democratic Republic of the Congo);
Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana. ■
