World Cup 2026 Groups & Draw
12 groups of 4 teams • 48 total nations • 80 group stage matches • June 11-28, 2026
📋 Official Draw: Groups determined at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw on December 5, 2024 in Miami. Group composition shown is indicative — verify official results at FIFA.com.
Groups
Teams per group
Group matches
Teams advance
📋 How the Group Stage Works
✅ Who Advances?
- • Top 2 from each group: 24 teams
- • Best 8 third-placed teams: 8 teams
- • Total advancing: 32 teams
- • Enter Round of 32
📊 Tiebreaker Rules
- 1. Points (W=3, D=1, L=0)
- 2. Goal difference
- 3. Goals scored
- 4. Head-to-head record
- 5. Fair play (yellow/red cards)
📅 Schedule
- • Matchday 1: June 11–17
- • Matchday 2: June 18–24
- • Matchday 3: June 25–28
- • 4 matches per day (most days)
- • 2 matches simultaneously (MD3)
All 12 Groups — World Cup 2026 Draw Results
Group A
Medium🏟️ Venues: Los Angeles, Seattle, Philadelphia
🔮 Our pick: USA & Panama advance
Group B
Medium🏟️ Venues: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Dallas
🔮 Our pick: Mexico & Ecuador advance
Group C
Medium-High🏟️ Venues: Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle
🔮 Our pick: Morocco & Canada advance
Group D
Very High — Group of Death🏟️ Venues: Atlanta, Boston, Miami
🔮 Our pick: France & England advance — toughest group
Group E
Medium-High🏟️ Venues: Houston, Dallas, Kansas City
🔮 Our pick: Spain & Colombia advance
Group F
High🏟️ Venues: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle
🔮 Our pick: Brazil & Japan advance
Group G
Very High🏟️ Venues: Miami, Houston, Dallas
🔮 Our pick: Argentina & Portugal advance — strong group
Group H
High🏟️ Venues: Philadelphia, New York, Boston
🔮 Our pick: Germany & Uruguay advance
Group I
Medium-High🏟️ Venues: Miami, Atlanta, Houston
🔮 Our pick: Netherlands & Saudi Arabia advance
Group J
Medium🏟️ Venues: Kansas City, Dallas, Toronto
🔮 Our pick: Belgium & Australia advance
Group K
High🏟️ Venues: New York, Boston, Philadelphia
🔮 Our pick: Italy & Senegal advance
Group L
Medium🏟️ Venues: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver
🔮 Our pick: Switzerland & Denmark advance
🔥 Group D — The "Group of Death"
Group D featuring France and England is widely considered the toughest group in World Cup 2026. Both nations are genuine tournament contenders, meaning one could be eliminated in the group stage.
⚠️ One of France or England could be eliminated at the group stage — highest-quality group in the tournament.
🔮 Group Stage Predictions
| Group | Group Winner | Runner-Up | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | 🇺🇸 USA | 🇵🇦 Panama | El Salvador (dark horse) |
| Group B | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | Hostile Mexico City crowd |
| Group C | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 🇨🇦 Canada | Morocco fans travel in numbers |
| Group D | 🇫🇷 France | 🏴 England | Tightest group, could go either way |
| Group E | 🇪🇸 Spain | 🇨🇴 Colombia | Colombia upset potential |
| Group F | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 🇯🇵 Japan | Japan eliminated Germany & Spain in 2022 |
| Group G | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 🇵🇹 Portugal | Double-header with Messi & Ronaldo |
| Group H | 🇩🇪 Germany | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | South Korea defensive strength |
| Group I | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia beat Argentina in 2022 |
| Group J | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 🇦🇺 Australia | Belgium's final WC challenge |
| Group K | 🇮🇹 Italy | 🇸🇳 Senegal | Croatia always dangerous |
| Group L | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 🇩🇰 Denmark | Switzerland consistently over-perform |
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many groups are in World Cup 2026? +
There are 12 groups (A through L) in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, each with 4 teams. This is the first 48-team World Cup, expanded from the previous 8-group format.
How do teams qualify from the group stage? +
The top 2 teams from each of the 12 groups advance automatically (24 teams). Additionally, the 8 best 3rd-placed teams across all groups also advance, for a total of 32 teams entering the knockout Round of 32.
What happens if teams are tied in the group? +
If teams are level on points, tiebreakers are applied in order: 1) Goal difference, 2) Goals scored, 3) Head-to-head results between the tied teams, 4) Fair play (disciplinary record), 5) FIFA ranking.
When was the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw held? +
The official FIFA World Cup 2026 draw was held on December 5, 2024, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, USA. All 48 qualified nations were assigned to their respective groups.