The 2026 World Cup draw is edging closer with excitement building around next summer’s major tournament
Can’t wait until the World Cup draw this afternoon? Then draw the teams yourself and create your own World Cup draw with our easy-to-navigate simulator.
Official representatives from across the world will head to Washington at 5pm UK time on Friday to watch the draw take place for next summer’s major tournament. England and Scotland are among the countries that have made it, along with the other big hitters like Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Germany.
They could yet be joined by the likes of Wales, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, all of whom are still in with a chance of qualifying as they head through to the play-off round in March next year.
The tournament next summer will be the largest World Cup ever, with 48 teams travelling across the USA, Canada and Mexico with the hope of winning football’s most prestigious trophy.
Each team has been placed into one of four pots for the prestigious draw ceremony. Pot 1 contains the nine best teams in the world according to FIFA’s world rankings, alongside the three hosts of the competition.
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The next three pots are also decided by FIFA rankings, with the lowest-rated teams sitting in Pot 4 alongside the potential play-off winners. A total of 12 groups will be created from the draw with four teams in each one.
Additional rules do apply, however, with only one European team allowed in each group. If you’re eager to see who could get who in the real thing, then then create your own group stage using our simulator below.
Will you draw England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales or the Republic of Ireland in the dreaded ‘group of death?’
Simply hit ‘GO’ and watch the action unfold:
The Pots
Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany.
Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia.
Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa.
Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, four European play-off teams, two intercontinental play-off teams.
