World Cup 2026 draw: Confirmed pots and seedings as England await fate | OneFootball

New seeding structure means Three Lions could avoid Spain and Argentina until the semi-finals

The draw for the 2026 World Cup is almost upon us as excitement continues to build.

England absolutely breezed through qualifying with a 100 per cent record and did not concede a single goal in eight matches under Thomas Tuchel, increasing hopes that they could be serious contenders for glory in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Scotland, meanwhile, booked their place at a first World Cup since France 98 with the most dramatic of last-gasp wins over Denmark, while Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are all still alive in the play-offs.

US President Donald Trump will be among those in attendance for Friday’s draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Tom Brady, Shaquille O'Neal, Wayne Gretzky and Aaron Judge all taking part.

World Cup draw 2026: Confirmed pots and seedings

The draw will consist of four pots of 12 teams, which are determined by the latest FIFA world rankings.

The exception to that rule is Canada, the USA and Mexico all being placed in pot 1 due to their status as tournament co-hosts.

There are also six slots reserved in pot four for the play-off winners who are yet to be determined, four from UEFA and two from the inter-confederation play-offs.

One team from each pot will be drawn into each group from A through to L, starting with pot 1 and ending with pot 4, leaving 12 groups of four teams.

We already know that Mexico will be in Group A and will kick off the World Cup at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11.

Canada are in Group B and begin their campaign in Toronto on June 12, while the USA are in Group D and have their first game in California on the same day.

Two separate pathways to the semi-finals have already been established, pairing the world’s top-two ranked teams (Spain and Argentina) together and placing them into groups on opposite sides of the draw.

That is also the case for the third and fourth-ranked teams (France and England). It means that England will avoid Spain and Argentina until the semis and France until the final, provided those nations all win their respective groups.

FIFA say this has been done to “ensure competitive balance”.

Pot 1

Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany

Pot 2

Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia

Pot 3

Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa

Pot 4

Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Off A, B, C and D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 and 2