The World Cup Draw Is Finally Here and This Is What You Need to Know

The draw for the 2026 World Cup is finally upon us, and unlike the old school method of pulling balls out of a bowl, this one comes with pots, quadrants, confederation rules and an entire grid system that looks more like a science project than a sports ceremony. FIFA has promised that a computer will handle much of the complicated sorting, but with past mishaps still fresh in people’s memories, there is always a tiny fear that technology could cause chaos. Fans can only hope that everything runs smoothly once the ceremony in Washington begins.

A star filled show before the serious part

The draw ceremony starts at 17:00 GMT on 5 December, and it will be far more glamorous than simply assigning teams to groups. Supermodel Heidi Klum comedian Kevin Hart, and actor Danny Ramirez are teaming up as hosts. Before the draw even begins, viewers will get performances from Andrea Bocelli Robbie Williams, and Nicole Scherzinger. FIFA president Gianni Infantino is scheduled to speak, and US President Donald Trump will also make an appearance. Only after the speeches and performances will the event move to video introductions from the qualified teams and then the actual draw.

Who is conducting the draw

Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is taking the lead role in running the draw itself. He will be joined by broadcaster Samantha Johnson and an impressive lineup of sporting icons. Tom Brady Wayne Gretzky Aaron Judge and Shaquille O’Neal are all scheduled to appear which only adds to the spectacle. Once every team has found its place in the groups the Village People will close the ceremony with YMCA marking the end of what is expected to be a ninety minute event.

How Fifa organised the pots

The expanded tournament features forty eight teams and they have been split into four pots of twelve. The placement is based primarily on the official Fifa world rankings. There are a few exceptions. The three host nations are automatically placed in pot one regardless of ranking and the teams that qualify via the six play off paths will be placed in pot four. Because several strong teams are involved in the European play offs the final groups could easily become more competitive than expected.

The importance of the play off system

Some notable teams that did not qualify directly would have had higher seedings based on their rankings. Italy and Denmark for example would have landed in pot two while Wales would have been placed in pot three. Their involvement in the play offs means they now enter pot four if they win their spots. Each play off path features four teams battling for a single place in the tournament which adds suspense to the final lineup.

The six play off paths explained

Europe has four separate play off routes. Play Off A includes Italy Wales Bosnia Herzegovina and Northern Ireland. Play Off B features Ukraine Poland Albania and Sweden. Play Off C brings together Turkey Slovakia Kosovo and Romania. Play Off D contains Denmark the Czech Republic the Republic of Ireland and North Macedonia. Beyond Europe there are two global play off paths. The first includes DR Congo Jamaica and New Caledonia with the remaining route involving teams from other confederations that will be confirmed later.

Each winning nation will earn a place in the World Cup and move directly into pot four joining the tournament as last minute additions. With so many strong sides fighting through these play offs this could produce some incredibly difficult groups once the draw is settled.

What fans can expect next

Once the draw is revealed supporters around the world will begin planning travel predicting outcomes and imagining the storylines that might unfold when the first whistle blows. With its expanded format its celebrity filled ceremony and its complex structure this World Cup draw marks a new chapter in how the global game organizes its biggest stage.