All set for the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw in Washington DC

Photo Credit: FIFA World Cup

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The countdown has begun. On Friday, December 5, 2025, the Kennedy Center in the US capital, Washington DC, will host the final draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be staged across the United States , Mexico , and Canada .

The three host nations are already seeded as group leaders: Mexico in Group A, Canada in Group B, and the United States in Group D. The remaining seeded teams, along with the rest of the pots, will be determined following the same format used at Qatar 2022 — based on the official FIFA World Ranking.

Argentina won the last World Cup in 2022 – Photo Credit: FIFA World Cup

Qualification Status

So far, 42 of the 48 teams have secured their places at the expanded tournament. Six spots remain to be decided: four through the European playoffs and two via the intercontinental playoffs.

Teams by Confederation

• Concacaf (6/6): Canada, Mexico, United States, Panama, Curaçao, Haiti
• Conmebol (6/6): Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Ecuador, Uruguay
• CAF (9/9): Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde (debut), South Africa, Ivory Coast, Senegal
• AFC (8/8): Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan (debut), South Korea, Uzbekistan (debut), Qatar, Saudi Arabia
• OFC (1/1): New Zealand
• UEFA (12/16): England, France, Croatia, Portugal, Norway, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Scotland, Spain, Austria, Belgium

Playoffs Ahead

• Intercontinental (March 2026, Guadalajara & Monterrey ):
• Route 1: New Caledonia vs Jamaica → Winners to face DR Congo
• Route 2: Bolivia vs Suriname → Winners to face Iraq
• Europe (March 26 & 31, 2026):
• Route A: Italy vs Northern Ireland / Wales vs Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Route B: Ukraine vs Sweden / Poland vs Albania
• Route C: Turkey vs Romania / Slovakia vs Kosovo
• Route D: Denmark vs North Macedonia / Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland

48-Team World Cup

The 2026 World Cup will be historic: 48 teams will compete for the first time in an expanded format across three host nations. Among them, Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan will make their tournament debuts.

The December 5 draw will set the stage for what promises to be the largest and most diverse FIFA World Cup in history.

The post All set for the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw in Washington DC appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.

Photo Credit: FIFA World Cup By Rubén Morales Iglesias: 🌍 The countdown has begun. On Friday, December 5, 2025, the Kennedy Center in the US capital, Washington DC, will host the final draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be staged across the United States 🇺🇸, Mexico 🇲🇽, and Canada 🇨🇦. The three
The post All set for the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw in Washington DC appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.