FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw Announced: Mexico to Face South Africa in Opening Match | Udaipur Kiran


Washington, December 6 (Udaipur Kiran) – The FIFA World Cup 2026 draw was completed on Friday at the John F. Kennedy Center, revealing the structure of football’s biggest tournament featuring 48 teams for the first time. This mega event will be held across Canada, Mexico, and the United States with a new group format and record number of matches.

The draw revealed several exciting matchups. As the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo winds down, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland have emerged as football’s new superstars. Their teams—France and Norway—have been placed together in Group I. African powerhouse Senegal is also in this group. The European playoff winner (Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania) will make this group even more challenging, which experts are already calling the “Group of Death”.

Morocco, who delivered a stunning performance in the previous World Cup, has been placed in Group C alongside five-time champions Brazil. This has increased pressure on Scotland and Haiti.

England and Croatia, both strong title contenders, will face each other in Group L. Meanwhile, Ghana and Panama may find this group extremely challenging.

If Italy qualifies through the European playoffs, they will join Group B with Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland—a group where predicting the qualifiers will be difficult.

The tournament’s opening match will be played between Mexico and South Africa on home soil. South Korea is also in Group A, along with the winner of the European playoff between Denmark/North Macedonia/Czech Republic/Ireland.

The complete draw is as follows:

Group A: Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, European Playoff Winner D

Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, European Playoff Winner A

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti

Group D: United States, Australia, Paraguay, European Playoff Winner C

Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, European Playoff Winner B

Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand

Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde

Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, FIFA Playoff Winner (Bolivia/Suriname/Iraq)

Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan

Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, FIFA Playoff Winner (New Caledonia/Jamaica/Democratic Republic of Congo)

Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana

(Udaipur Kiran)



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