FIFA World Cup: Groups unveiled, full schedule to be announced

WASHINGTON — For the first time in 30 years, the U.S. will be hosting, at least in part, the FIFA World Cup and all eyes are on Washington, D.C. as the teams and venues are announced.

The 2026 World Cup draw is being held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,had with the leaders of the U.S., Mexico and Canada taking part as the co-host nations for the tournament.

President Donald Trump was joined at the event by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, as well as FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

The event was the first time Sheinbaum and Trump had met face-to-face, according to The Associated Press.

Trump was presented with the newly-created FIFA Peace Prize. He is the first recipient.

The first match is scheduled to take place on June 11 at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, with the World Cup Final happening on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the AP reported.

Forty-eight teams will take part in the tournament, with that slate divided up into 12 groups of four from Group A to Group L.

Then, there will be four pots of 12, with each group having a team from each pot. Six balls in pot 4 do not have a country listed because they will be determined in March, the AP said.

Pot 1:

• Spain (1)
• Argentina (2)
• France (3)
• England (4)
• Brazil (5)
• Portugal (6)
• Netherlands (7)
• Belgium (8)
• Germany (9)
• United States (14)
• Mexico (15)
• Canada (27)

Pot 2:

• Croatia (10)
• Morocco (11)
• Colombia (13)
• Uruguay (16)
• Switzerland (17)
• Japan (18)
• Senegal (19)
• Iran (20)
• South Korea (22)
• Ecuador (23)
• Austria (24)
• Australia (26)

Pot 3

• Norway (29)
• Panama (30)
• Egypt (34)
• Algeria (35)
• Scotland (36)
• Paraguay (39)
• Tunisia (40)
• Ivory Coast (42)
• Uzbekistan (60)
• Qatar (51)
• Saudi Arabia (60)
• South Africa (61)

Pot 4:

• Jordan (66)
• Cape Verde (68)
• Ghana (72)
• Curaçao (82)
• Haiti (84)
• New Zealand (86)
• UEFA Playoff A
• UEFA Playoff B
• UEFA Playoff C
• UEFA Playoff D
• FIFA Playoff 1
• FIFA Playoff 2

Here is the completed bracket:

• Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, Playoff D winner
• Group B: Canada, Playoff A winner, Qatar, Switzerland
• Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
• Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Playoff C winner
• Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador
• Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Playoff B winner, Tunisia
• Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
• Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
• Group I: France, Senegal, Playoff 2 winner, Norway
• Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
• Group K: Portugal, Playoff 1 winner, Uzbekistan, Colombia
• Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

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