Addis Ababa, December 4, 2025 (FMC) — The football world will converge on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. this Friday, 5 December 2025, as the final draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place.
According to FIFA, the ceremony, scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m. local time, will reveal the group-stage composition for the largest and most ambitious World Cup in history.
The 2026 tournament will feature 48 national teams, drawn into 12 groups of four. This historic expansion marks a significant shift from the traditional 32-team format and promises broader global representation and new rivalries across continents.
The draw is structured around four seeding pots. Pot 1 includes the three host nations — the United States, Mexico and Canada — along with the nine highest-ranked qualified teams worldwide. The remaining nations are distributed across Pots 2, 3, and 4, with placeholders reserved for six teams yet to qualify through intercontinental and European play-offs in March 2026.
Teams will be drawn from each pot to form the 12 groups. Rules ensure continental balance, with groups generally restricted to a single team from the same confederation, except for European teams where one or two can be placed in the same group. The three host nations have already been assigned to pre-determined positions: Mexico in Group A, Canada in Group B, and the United States in Group D.
Once the draw is complete, the full match schedule will be published the following day, Saturday, 6 December. This schedule will include stadium assignments and kick-off times for all group-stage fixtures across the three host nations.
For fans around the world, including those in Africa and Ethiopia, Friday’s draw represents the moment when anticipation turns into clarity. Supporters will learn the paths their nations may take in the tournament, while football federations and clubs prepare for what promises to be a globally historic event.
FMC will provide full coverage of the draw, group-by-group results, and the complete match calendar immediately after the draw concludes.