2026 World Cup groups are set: here’s what’s in store for Canada, Mexico, and the USA

The FIFA World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., divided a record 48 teams into 12 groups of four. Six spots won’t be determined until March, when 22 teams will face off in playoffs.

The draw also served as a stage for U.S. President Donald Trump to receive the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize.

Which groups are the toughest?

Here’s a list of the groups from strongest to weakest, using each group’s average FIFA ranking. (For groups with placeholders, the highest-ranked possible qualifier was used.)

1. Group F – 23.25 (Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, UEFA Playoff B)
2. Group D – 26 (United States, Australia, Paraguay, UEFA Playoff C)
3. Group B – 26.75 (Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, UEFA Playoff A)
4. Group I – 27.25 (France, Senegal, Norway, FIFA Playoff 2)
5. Group L – 29 (England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana)
6. Group A – 29.75 (Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, UEFA Playoff D)
7. Group J – 31.75 (Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan)
8. Group C – 34 (Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti)
9. Group H – 36.25 (Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde)
10. Group G – 37 (Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand)
11. Group K – 37.25 (Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, FIFA Playoff 1)
12. Group E – 39 (Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao)

Sigh of relief for the U.S.?

All told, it looks like a pretty good draw for the United States in Group D.

The Americans drew Australia, the lowest-ranked team in pot 2, as well as Paraguay. The lone European team in their group will be either Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo.

These countries can still make the tournament

Four European teams will qualify via the UEFA playoffs, while the additional two FIFA playoffs will include teams from all over the world.

The competing teams in each playoff are as follows.

UEFA Playoff A: Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina

UEFA Playoff B: Ukraine, Sweden, Poland and Albania.

UEFA Playoff C: Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo

UEFA Playoff D: Denmark, North Macedonia, the Czech Republic and Ireland

FIFA Playoff 1: New Caledonia, Jamaica and Congo

FIFA Playoff 2: Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq