What time is the World Cup 2026 draw? Pots, teams, format and how to watch today | OneFootball

England and Scotland will discover their fate, with Donald Trump due to attend star-studded FIFA ceremony in Washington

The World Cup 2026 draw is coming up in the United States today, with President Donald Trump set to be in attendance.

Meanwhile, Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan will all be making their first World Cup appearances, with more debutants potentially set to follow.

Here’s everything you need to know about the World Cup draw…

What time is the World Cup draw?

The draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place in the US capital of Washington, D.C. today, on Friday December 5, 2025. It will begin at 5pm GMT at the Kennedy Center, which is 12pm local time.

How to watch the World Cup draw

TV channel: In the UK, the draw will be shown live and free-to-air on BBC Two, with coverage from 5pm.

Live stream: It will also be broadcast live on the BBC Sport website, BBC iPlayer and via FIFA’s official website and YouTube channel.

Live blog: You can follow all the updates with Standard Sport’s live blog.

Scotland have qualified for their first World Cup since France 1998

Getty Images

Who is conducting the World Cup draw?

Former England captain Rio Ferdinand is conducting the draw alongside broadcaster Samantha Johnson, with NFL icon Tom Brady, NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, MLB star Aaron Judge and NBA great Shaquille O’Neal all helping out.

Brady’s former rival Eli Manning is the host on the red carpet.

Will Donald Trump attend the World Cup draw?

Yes. President Trump’s attendance at the World Cup draw was confirmed earlier this week. He is rumoured to be receiving the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Which teams are in the World Cup draw?

The USA, Canada and Mexico all automatically qualified for the World Cup as co-hosts. Mexico play the opening game of the tournament at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium on June 11, and will be placed in Group A.

Canada then open their campaign in Toronto and will be in Group B, while the USA are in Group D.

Here is a full list of the nations to have qualified so far:

Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia, Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand

World Cup draw pots

England are in pot 1 for the draw thanks to their current FIFA world ranking of fourth, while Scotland, ranked at 36th, are in pot 3. The two home nations could go head to head in the group stage.

There are six slots in pot 4 reserved for the winners of the UEFA and inter-confederation play-offs in March.

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

England are in pot 1 for the draw in Washington

AFP via Getty Images

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

World Cup draw format

The 40 teams who have qualified for the World Cup so far have been placed in four pots of 12, based on FIFA’s latest world rankings.

One team from each pot - starting with pot 1 and ending with pot 4 - will be drawn into each group from A to L. No teams from the same pot can be in the same group.

Canada, Mexico and the USA are all in pot 1 because of their status as co-hosts. Mexico will be in Group A, with Canada in Group B and the USA in Group D.

And in what FIFA say is to ensure competitive balance, the world’s top two-ranked teams - Spain and Argentina - have been paired together and placed on opposite sides of the draw, tennis-style.

The same is also the case for the No3 and No4-ranked teams, France and England. If all four of those nations win their groups as expected, then England would avoid Spain and Argentina until the semi-finals should they progress, and France until the final.

Who could still qualify for the World Cup?

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Kosovo, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine and Wales will all be in the March UEFA play-offs after finishing as group runners-up in qualifying.

Wales face a March play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina

Action Images via Reuters

They will be joined by the four best-ranked Nations League group winners that have not already qualified, who are Romania, Sweden, Northern Ireland and North Macedonia. Four finals spots will be up for grabs.

Bolivia, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia, Suriname and DR Congo will all take part in the inter-confederation play-offs in Mexico in March, with two teams qualifying for the World Cup.