The World Cup draw is here – this is how it will work

Excitement is building ahead of Friday’s World Cup draw, set to take place in Washington DC – a city not hosting any matches but stepping into the global spotlight for one of football’s most complex ceremonies. With pots, quadrants, confederation rules and group position grids all coming into play, the 2026 draw is far from straightforward. But with Fifa’s computer system handling the trickiest parts, fans can expect a smooth process, provided no last minute glitches appear. After all, as Uefa learned during its 2021 Champions League draw mishap, even the slickest technology is not always foolproof.

To keep things simple, the draw begins with the familiar pot system. Teams are seeded according to the Fifa world rankings, with Pot 1 containing the host nations and the highest ranked sides. This time the United States, Canada and Mexico already know their places as co hosts of the tournament. Each team will be drawn into one of the 12 groups, which is a step up from previous editions due to the expanded 48 team format.

Once the pot numbers are assigned, the computer comes into play. Its job is to ensure the confederation constraints are followed. In most cases no group can contain more than one team from the same region, except Europe, which can have two given the number of qualified sides. The computer checks every possible combination as the draw progresses to avoid impossible outcomes, redirecting teams automatically when needed.

Another layer of complexity comes from the quadrant system. Because the tournament is being played across three vast host nations, teams must be allocated into geographical clusters to reduce travel. The computer will map groups into designated quadrants, ensuring that match venues remain manageable for teams and supporters. This means certain teams will be guided toward groups that fit their travel requirements, even if it means skipping a slot that looks open on paper.

The final piece of the puzzle is the group position grid, which determines the match schedule. After a team is placed into a group, it must also be assigned a position that dictates when and where it will play. These positions are pre programmed to minimise travel between match locations and to preserve rest days. Again the computer automatically handles the restrictions, ensuring no team ends up with an unworkable travel pattern.

Fans watching the ceremony can expect a polished presentation with the usual fanfare, performances and footballing legends making the draws. But beneath the glamour is a finely tuned logistical process that must balance global representation, fairness and the practical realities of staging the biggest World Cup in history.

While the overall procedure is complicated, the goal is simple: 48 teams split into balanced groups with travel efficient schedules. As long as the system runs smoothly, the draw should deliver a clear road map for the opening phase of the tournament.

With Washington DC hosting the reveal, anticipation will be high as football fans around the world wait to see where their nations will land. The expanded World Cup promises fresh match ups, new routes to the knockout stage and a tournament unlike any before.