The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the biggest tournament in history: 48 teams, 104 matches, and three host nations across North America. With the draw completed, we now know every group matchup and the path each team must navigate to reach the knockout rounds.
Below is a full, fan-friendly breakdown of every group, plus a simple explanation of how the format works and key dates to watch.
More 2026 FIFA World Cup Pages:
How the 2026 World Cup Works
The 2026 World Cup is played from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across 16 stadiums in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The format:
- 48 teams
- 12 groups (A–L) with 4 teams each
- Top 2 in each group automatically advance
- 8 best third-place teams also advance
- 32-team knockout bracket from the Round of 32 onward
Key stages:
- Group stage: June 11–27
- Round of 32: June 28–July 3
- Round of 16: July 4–7
- Quarterfinals: July 9–11
- Semifinals: July 14–15
- Third-place match: July 18
- Final: July 19
Some spots are still marked as playoff winners and will be decided in UEFA and intercontinental playoffs in early 2026, but their positions in the groups are already locked.
2026 World Cup Group Matchups
Below are all 12 groups and their matchups as set by today’s draw. Playoff placeholders are shown where the final team is not yet decided.
Group A – Mexico’s Group
- Mexico (host nation)
- South Africa
- South Korea
- European Playoff D winner (Denmark / North Macedonia / Czechia / Ireland)
Mexico will open the entire tournament at home in Mexico City, with strong home support and a group that mixes experience and explosive pace.
Group B – Canada’s Group
- Canada (host nation)
- Switzerland
- Qatar
- European Playoff A winner (Italy / Northern Ireland / Wales / Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Canada gets a balanced group with a European playoff heavyweight, a rising Switzerland side, and 2022 hosts Qatar.
Group C
- Brazil
- Morocco
- Haiti
- Scotland
This group blends a tournament giant (Brazil), 2022 semifinalists (Morocco), a passionate Scottish fan base, and underdog Haiti.
Group D – United States’ Group
- United States (host nation)
- Paraguay
- Australia
- European Playoff C winner (Türkiye / Romania / Slovakia / Kosovo)
The U.S. plays all group games on home soil and faces a physical Paraguay side, a resilient Australia, and one battle-tested European playoff winner.
Group E
- Germany
- Ecuador
- Ivory Coast
- Curaçao
Germany leads a tricky group with athletic South American and African opponents, plus a confident Curaçao side used to punching above its weight.
Group F
- Netherlands
- Japan
- Tunisia
- European Playoff B winner (Ukraine / Sweden / Poland / Albania)
A technical group with high-tempo football almost guaranteed. The European playoff winner will add another strong name to an already deep section.
Group G
- Belgium
- Egypt
- Iran
- New Zealand
Belgium headline a group that features Egypt’s star power, Iran’s compact defensive shape, and New Zealand’s organized, physical style.
Group H
- Spain
- Uruguay
- Saudi Arabia
- Cape Verde
European champions Spain meet a combative Uruguay side, with Saudi Arabia and debutants Cape Verde rounding out a diverse group.
Group I – Early “Group of Death” Candidate
- France
- Senegal
- Norway
- Intercontinental Playoff 2 winner (Bolivia / Suriname / Iraq)
France and Senegal alone make this brutal, and Norway’s presence (with one of the world’s best strikers) pushes Group I into early “Group of Death” territory.
Group J
- Argentina
- Austria
- Algeria
- Jordan
Defending champions Argentina get a manageable but not trivial group, with solid European opposition in Austria and dangerous moments possible from Algeria and Jordan.
Group K
- Portugal
- Colombia
- Uzbekistan
- Intercontinental Playoff 1 winner (Jamaica / New Caledonia / DR Congo)
Portugal and Colombia highlight a group that could also feature a very competitive playoff winner, especially if Jamaica qualify.
Group L
- England
- Croatia
- Ghana
- Panama
England and Croatia renew a recent World Cup rivalry, with Ghana’s athleticism and Panama’s experience making this a compelling group to close out the draw.
Matchups That Will Draw the Most Attention
- USA vs Australia and Paraguay – A real test of how far the U.S. has come on home soil.
- Mexico’s opener in Group A – A massive moment for Mexican fans, starting their campaign in front of a home crowd.
- Group I marquee games (France, Senegal, Norway) – Every point will matter in what looks like the toughest group on paper.
- England vs Croatia in Group L – Another high-stakes chapter in a modern World Cup rivalry.
What Happens After the Group Stage?
When the group stage ends:
- The top 2 teams in each group advance automatically.
- The 8 best third-place teams across Groups A–L advance based on points, goal difference, and other tiebreakers.
- Those 32 teams move into a standard knockout bracket: win and move on, lose and go home.
With 48 teams and 104 games, the 2026 World Cup will be a month-long marathon of football, travel, and storylines across North America.
