Mexico will kick off the 2026 FIFA World Cup against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca on June 11 in a repeat of the 2010 tournament opener, after Friday’s draw set the 12 groups for the expanded 48-team finals.
The iconic Mexico City stadium, which hosted the 1970 and 1986 finals, will stage the curtain-raiser before co-hosts the United States and Canada enter the competition the following day.
The U.S. will face Paraguay in Los Angeles, while Canada take on a European playoff winner – potentially four-time champions Italy – in Toronto.
Defending champions Argentina were handed a manageable group alongside Algeria, Austria and Jordan, while five-times winners Brazil were drawn with 2022 semi-finalists Morocco, Haiti and Scotland.
England will begin their campaign against Croatia – the team that knocked them out of the 2018 World Cup in the semi-finals – and also face Panama and Ghana.
France must navigate a tricky group containing Senegal (who famously beat them in the 2002 opener), Norway and an inter-confederation playoff winner.
A new seeding system ensures the world’s top four teams – Spain, Argentina, France and England – cannot meet before the semi-finals if they win their respective groups.
The 48 teams have been split into 12 groups of four, with the top two and the eight best third-placed sides advancing to a new round of 32. The tournament will feature a record 104 matches and concludes with the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
Six places remain to be filled via playoffs in March 2026. FIFA will announce full venue assignments and kick-off times for all matches except the pre-set host games in a live broadcast on Saturday, with possible further adjustments after the playoffs.
2026 World Cup groups
- Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, UEFA playoff winner
- Group B: Canada, UEFA playoff winner, Qatar, Switzerland
- Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
- Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, UEFA playoff winner
- Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador
- Group F: Netherlands, Japan, UEFA playoff winner, Tunisia
- Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
- Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
- Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Inter-confederation playoff winner
- Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
- Group K: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
- Group L: Portugal, Denmark, Colombia, Costa Rica
