FIFA unveils 2026 World Cup groups as Argentina falls in soft peers
By Samuel Ogunsona
The highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup draw took place in Washington, D.C., on Friday, December 5, 2025, unveiling the groups for the upcoming tournament.
Nigeria will not be attending the tournament having been kicked out in the African elimination series.
Defending champions Argentina will begin their title defense in Group J against Algeria, Austria and Jordan while the european champions Spain will kick off their campaign in Group H against first-time qualifiers Cape Verde, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
Other notable groups include Group L, featuring England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama, while two-time winners France face Senegal, Norway and the winner of the intercontinental playoff between Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq in Group I.
The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams, divided into 12 groups of four.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 32, along with the eight best third-place teams. The tournament will be hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
“We’ve worked closely with those two countries, and the coordination and friendship and relationship have been outstanding,” said US President Donald Trump, receiving the FIFA Peace Prize. “It is truly one of the great honors of my life.”
The 2026 World Cup final is scheduled for July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium outside New York.
