- The draw for the group stage of the 2026 World Cup took place on December 5, with many entertaining matches scheduled
- Record champions Brazil face Morocco in the 2022 semi-finals, while France play Senegal and Norway in the Group of Death
- 42 teams have already confirmed their places, with a further six securing their place in the confederation’s play-offs in March next year
Mexico will face South Africa in the opening game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the full group stage draw takes place on December 5.
Source: Twitter
The game will be a repeat of the 2010 edition, the first and only time for an African nation to host the tournament, where Siphiwe Tshabalala scored a historic goal in a 1-1 draw.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino joined world leaders as Donald Trump and the coaches of the national teams in the beautiful ceremony at the Kennedy Center.
The presidents of the host countries withdrew their countries before the draw assistants took center stage to complete the draw. Mexico entered Group A as originally expected, as they will play the opening match, while Canada takes Group B, and the United States enters Group D.
The only condition of the draw was that teams from the same confederation could not meet, except those from Europe.
Full World Cup 2026 Draw
Group A – Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Denmark/North Macedonia/Czech Republic/Ireland
Group B – Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Italy/Wales/Bosnia/Northern Ireland
Group C – Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
Group D – USA, Australia, Paraguay, Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo
Group E – Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
Group F – Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania
Group G – Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
Group H – Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde
Group I – France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname
Group J – Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
Group K – Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Democratic Republic of Congo/Jamaica/New Caledonia
Group L – England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana
Source: Twitter
Lionel Scaloni highlights the Argentina group
Speaking after the draw, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni said it will not be easy to defend their title.
“There are no easy opponents, you have to play the match. We have to give as much as we can and try to move forward. I was a little worried when the balls were coming out. There are no easy opponents; you have to play the match. We don’t take anything lightly,” he said via Sofi Martinez.
“Algeria is a strong team, they have a good youth system that feeds France and other countries. Austria had a good qualifying campaign and is a tough opponent. The most ‘unknown’ team is Jordan, but if they got there, it must be for a reason.”
The United States announces priority visa interviews for World Cup fans
World Cup ticket holders would have a FIFA pass to expedite their visa interview.
There were concerns that visa application processes would take up to a year, but in the new system, the process would be brought forward by six to eight weeks.
However, the ticket is not a guarantee that the application will be accepted.
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