New Delhi, December 6 – The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to begin on June 11 with 48 teams participating in the tournament. The FIFA World Cup draw was held at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, where the grouping of teams across 12 groups and match schedules were determined. US President Donald Trump was present during the draw ceremony and was honored with the FIFA Peace Award.
The World Cup’s opening match will be played between Mexico and South Africa at the historic Estadio Azteca. Meanwhile, FIFA World Cup 2022 winners Argentina will face Algeria in their first match of the 2026 tournament. Both teams have been placed in Group J alongside Austria and Jordan.
Current football world champions Argentina and major contenders Spain and England have received relatively easy groups for the 2026 World Cup. However, France has been drawn into a challenging group. Football’s two biggest superstars Kylian Mbappe (France) and Erling Haaland (Norway) will be competing in the same group. European champions Spain will begin their campaign in Group H against Cape Verde.
The 2026 tournament will be played across the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19. This edition will see 16 new teams joining, bringing the total number of participating teams to 48. The previous World Cup in Qatar featured 32 teams with 64 matches. This time, a total of 104 matches will be played, with most games taking place in the United States. The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New York.
The complete list of all 12 World Cup groups includes:
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, UEFA Playoff D
Group B: Canada, UEFA Playoff A, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, UEFA Playoff C
Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, UEFA Playoff B, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, FIFA Playoff 2, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, FIFA Playoff 1, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
(Udaipur Kiran)
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
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