Contenders plot path to 2026 World Cup glory after complex draw
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WASHINGTON: The path to glory at the 2026 World Cup has now been laid out after the contenders discovered their tournament fate at the complex draw ceremony for the first 48-team tournament in Washington on Friday, which offered kind starts for holders Argentina and much- fancied Spain in particular.
While the make-up of the groups was revealed along with the path through the knockout rounds for all the potential winners, the precise schedule for the competition was confirmed on Saturday after which the teams began focusing on fine-tuning their preparations with barely six months left until the World Cup kicks off on June 11.
The World Cup will kick off with joint-hosts Mexico playing South Africa at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City — iconic venue of the 1970 and 1986 finals — followed by South Korea against a playoff winner.
Mexico’s co-hosts the United States and Canada will join the biggest-ever World Cup party the following day. The US, courtesy of their top seeding, got a dream draw and will play Paraguay, Australia and a playoff winner.
Canada, also a top seed despite a world ranking of 27th, have it tougher against a playoff winner — possibly Italy — Switzerland and Qatar.
The draw for the expanded 48-team tournament, with six berths still to be filled via a series of playoffs, was hugely complicated due to various geographical sub-clauses.
Former England defender and MC Rio Ferdinand routinely returned balls to the metaphorical pot after “computer said no”.
Lionel Messi’s Argentina begin their defence of the trophy they won in Qatar in 2022 by facing Algeria, and will also play Austria and debutants Jordan in Group ‘J’.
Reigning European champions Spain will kick off their campaign against first-time qualifiers Cape Verde before also taking on Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in Group ‘H’.
“We want to do something big at this World Cup and that means making sure we do well in the group stage, then carrying on from there,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.
Thomas Tuchel’s England, seeking to win a first World Cup since 1966, will start Group ‘L’ against Croatia, who beat them in the 2018 semi-finals, and also face Panama, who they thrashed 6-1 in the group stage in the same tournament, and Ghana.
Two-time winners France’s first game will be versus Senegal in a repeat of one of the biggest tournament upsets, when the Africans stunned the then-holders in their first game of the 2002 tournament. Erling Haaland’s Norway and one of the playoff winners from either Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname complete Group ‘I’.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil and surprise 2022 semi-finalists Morocco will meet in Group ‘C’, which also features Scotland and Haiti. The Scots are appearing in the finals for the first time since 1998, when they lost to Brazil in the opening game, while Haiti’s only previous appearance came in 1974.
Germany’s opponents in Group ‘E’ will be Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Caribbean debutants Curacao, with a population of 150,000 making them by far the smallest country ever to reach the finals, while Portugal face Uzbekistan, Colombia and a play-off winner.
The Netherlands are with Japan, Tunisia and a playoff winner, Belgium have Egypt, Iran and New Zealand.
A newly introduced seeding system ensured that the current top four in the world — Spain, Argentina, France and England — cannot meet until the semi-final stage if they win their groups, but that has not ruled out a host of potential blockbuster clashes along the way.
FRANCE COULD FACE TOUGH ROUTE TO FINAL
France, runners-up in 2022, might like the look of their group but, if results go to form, once they reach the last 16 they can expect a potential run of Germany, the Netherlands and Spain to reach the final.
England’s pathway to the showpiece match has a very Latin — and difficult — look with Mexico, Brazil, who they have never beaten at the World Cup, and Argentina in the way of a first final appearance since their sole triumph in 1966.
Another possible match-ups includes Messi’s Argentina taking on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the quarter-finals.
“You cannot get carried away with building your way with who you are going to meet if you win the group, if you are second or whatever,” insisted Tuchel. “You just focus on the group, this is what you do.”
Mexico have a favourable group but will be looking beyond that in the hope of at least matching their performance as hosts in 1986 when they reached the quarter-finals.
Since then they suffered a remarkable seven consecutive last-16 exits and then failed to get out of their group in 2022.
“There are no small opponents. We must not get complacent, we have to work hard,” said Mexico coach Javier Aguirre. “We’ll be repeating our opening match from 15 years ago and we’ll have to be ready.”
The US have a winnable group and their Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino sounded upbeat.
“We need to be strong in our belief, keep improving, thinking big of course and to go and to win the World Cup,” he said. “But before that we need to play and be motivated with these guys that are going to be really tough.”
While the US will host most matches, including the final at the MetLife Stadium outside New York, three of the 16 venues will be in Mexico and two in Canada. The top two teams in each group advance to the last 32, joined by the eight best third-placed teams.
Group Stage Draw:
Group ‘A’: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, European Playoff D
Group ‘B’: Canada, European Playoff A, Qatar, Switzerland
Group ‘C’: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group ‘D’: United States, Paraguay, Australia, European Playoff C
Group ‘E’: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group ‘F’: Netherlands, Japan, European Playoff B, Tunisia
Group ‘G’: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group ‘H’: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group ‘I’: France, Senegal, FIFA Playoff 2, Norway
Group ‘J’: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group ‘K’: Portugal, FIFA Playoff 1, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group ‘L’: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2025
