FIFA has sorted 48 teams for the biggest World Cup in history into 12 groups on Friday, marking the first major step toward next summer’s expanded tournament across North America.

 

According to reports, the draw takes place at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC. US President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attend the event along with FIFA President Gianni Infantino. 

 

The United States, Mexico and Canada will jointly host the tournament.

 

“This will be the greatest FIFA World Cup ever. The greatest event humanity will ever see,” Infantino says before the draw.
“The World Cup is like 104 Super Bowls in one month,” he adds.

 

Supermodel Heidi Klum and comedian Kevin Hart hosted the ceremony. Legendary Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli opened the event with a performance. Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger sang the official FIFA anthem “Desire.”

 

 FIFA also presented its first-ever Peace Prize to Donald Trump. Sports icons Wayne Gretzky, Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal and Aaron Judge took part in the draw.

 

So far, 42 teams have qualified for the tournament. FIFA will decide the remaining six teams through UEFA and inter-confederation playoffs in March.

 

Mexico will host the opening match of the tournament in 188 days. Mexico faces South Africa on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. FIFA has confirmed the full match schedule, venues and kickoff times at noon ET on Saturday.

 

The United States entered Group D with Australia, Paraguay and one European playoff team from Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo.

Team USA will play Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California, Australia on June 19 in Seattle and the final group match on June 25 in Inglewood.

 

Mexico will compete in Group A with South Korea, South Africa and one European playoff team from Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia or Ireland.

 

Canada lands in Group B with Switzerland, Qatar and one European playoff team from Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina.

 

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage. The eight best third-place teams will also advance to complete the round of 32.

 

The World Cup final takes place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

 

Matches take place in 16 cities across North America. Canada hosts games in Toronto and Vancouver. Mexico hosts matches in Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara.

 

The US hosts matches in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.

 

Argentina enters the tournament as defending champions after winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar under the leadership of Lionel Messi.

World Cup groups are:

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, TBD (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland or Albania)
Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cabo Verde
Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, TBD (Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq)
Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, TBD (New Caledonia, Jamaica or Congo DR)
Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana