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After weeks of a politically charged build-up to the FIFA World Cup 2026 gully and amid the beingness of United States President Donald Trump, the absorption swiftly shifted to shot arsenic the destiny of the participating teams was unveiled astatine the lawsuit successful Washington DC.
President Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum were each successful attendance arsenic the leaders of the 3 co-host nations arsenic the US superior played big for the lawsuit astatine the Kennedy Center connected Friday.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino awarded the US president the caller FIFA Peace Prize , having been termed the favourite to person it successful the weeks since the award’s announcement successful November.
However, for the 42 qualified teams, their officials and fans, it was the second fractional of the lawsuit that carried much value arsenic the 12 tourney groups of 4 teams each were drawn.
The World Cup’s archetypal crippled volition beryllium a throwback to 2010 erstwhile Mexico instrumentality connected South Africa connected June 11 astatine Mexico City successful a replay of the 2010 edition’s tourney opener. Football fans volition anticipation the 2026 version’s opening extremity matches the screamer scored by then-hosts South Africa’s Lawrence Tshabalala.
Mexico’s group, A, which besides includes South Korea and 1 of Denmark, Macedonia, Czechia oregon Ireland , volition beryllium 1 of the toughest of the 12.
Team USA are placed alongside Australia, Paraguay positive 1 of Turkiye , Romania, Slovakia oregon Kosovo.
Canada, too, look the challenging task of making it retired of a radical comprising Switzerland, Qatar and 1 of Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales oregon Bosnia.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino takes a selfie with President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney [Evan Vucci/AP]Which teams are successful the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The 42 confirmed nations are:
Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
Oceania: New Zealand
Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Curacao , Panama, Haiti, USA, Mexico, Canada
What are the groups for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
- Group A: Mexico, South Korea, South Africa positive 1 of Denmark, Macedonia, Czechia oregon Ireland
- Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar positive 1 of Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales oregon Bosnia
- Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
- Group D: USA, Australia, Paraguay positive 1 of Turkiye , Romania, Slovakia oregon Kosovo
- Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
- Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia positive 1 of Ukraine, Sweden, Poland and Albania
- Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
- Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde
- Group I: France, Senegal, Norway positive 1 of Iraq, Bolivia oregon Suriname
- Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
- Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan positive 1 of DRC, Jamaica oregon New Caledonia
- Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana
US hoops fable Shaquille O’Neal was 1 of the gully assistants [Jia Haocheng/Reuters]What’s the format of the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The tourney volition beryllium made up of 1 group-stage circular and 4 knockout rounds earlier the final.
Unlike erstwhile editions, the knockouts volition statesman with the circular of 32, followed by the circular of 16, the 4 quarterfinals and 2 semifinals .
How volition teams proceed from radical signifier to circular of 32?
All 4 teams successful each of the 12 groups volition play each different once.
At the extremity of the 68 group-stage matches, the apical 2 teams from each of the 12 groups volition suffice for the circular of 32 and volition beryllium joined by the 8 champion third-place finishers.
What’s the ‘group of death’ astatine the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The ‘group of death’ is an informal word utilized for the astir competitory groups successful multi-stage planetary sporting competitions.
It is mostly assigned to groups that person much high-ranked oregon top-performing teams successful 1 radical than qualification slots disposable for the adjacent stage.
At the 2026 edition, the toughest groups volition apt be: Groups A, D, G and L.
What are the apical 10 must-watch group-stage matches astatine the World Cup 2026?
- Brazil vs Morocco
- USA vs Paraguay
- England vs Croatia
- Netherlands vs Japan
- Iran vs Egypt
- Spain vs Uruguay
- France vs Senegal
- Argentina vs Austria
- Algeria vs Jordan
- Portugal vs Colombia
The gully was held astatine the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts successful Washington, DC [Carlos Barria/Reuters]Why was Trump fixed the FIFA Peace Prize?
The US president became the archetypal ever recipient of FIFA’s caller bid prize – arsenic his adjacent state Infantino presented the 79-year-old with the grant weeks aft Trump failed to triumph a overmuch sought-after Nobel Peace Prize.
Infantino said Trump won the grant for “exceptional and extraordinary” actions to beforehand bid and unity astir the world.
In awarding the prize, Infantino told Trump it was a “beautiful medal for you that you tin deterioration everyplace you privation to go.” Trump promptly placed the medal astir his neck.
FIFA announced the yearly prize successful November, saying it would recognise radical who bring “hope for aboriginal generations.”
The US president often insists that helium deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his relation successful ending what helium says are 8 conflicts this year, including a fragile ceasefire successful Gaza.
The US person has made the World Cup a centrepiece of his 2nd presidency.
What did Trump accidental astatine the World Cup 2026 draw?
Trump thanked his family, including his wife, archetypal woman Melania Trump, and praised the leaders of the different 2 big nations successful his little remarks, saying the coordination with the countries has been “outstanding.”
“This is genuinely 1 of the large honours of my life,” Trump said, adding that “most important, I conscionable privation to convey everybody. The satellite is simply a safer spot now.”
When volition each the teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026 beryllium confirmed?
With the European qualification rounds stretching to March and the intercontinental playoff last besides scheduled for the aforesaid month, we volition not cognize our last 48 teams for the World Cup until March 31, 2026.
Which teams are successful the World Cup 2026 playoffs?
The playoffs are divided into 2 parts: European and intercontinental.
The European limb volition seal the past 4 UEFA spots successful the World Cup, portion the intercontinental playoff volition spot representatives of each different continental groups contention for the past 2 berths.
European playoff teams: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, Denmark, Italy, Kosovo, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Turkiye , Ukraine, Wales, Romania, Sweden, Northern Ireland, North Macedonia
Intercontinental playoff teams: Bolivia, DR Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname
When are the European and intercontinental playoffs for the World Cup 2026?
In Europe, the 16 competing teams vying for 4 places person been divided into 4 playoff paths, with each of the 4 paths comprising 2 single-leg semifinals and 1 single-leg final.
The winners of the 4 finals volition drawback the past remaining UEFA spots. The semifinals volition beryllium played connected March 26 and the finals connected March 31.
The intercontinental playoffs find the past 2 non-European finalists.
The apical 2 seeded teams – Iraq and DR Congo – person earned nonstop qualification for the 2 finals, portion the different 2 finalists volition beryllium determined via 2 semifinals played betwixt the 4 remaining teams.
The intercontinental semifinals are scheduled for March 23, with the last connected March 31.
Which large teams are not successful the World Cup 2026?
Nigeria, Chile, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Greece and Serbia are immoderate of the biggest names missing from the tournament.
Will Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi play successful the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Ronaldo has confirmed that the tourney volition beryllium his swansong connected football’s biggest stage.
The Portuguese superstar is the apical scorer successful past with 143 planetary goals and is the astir capped men’s planetary footballer with 226 appearances.
Despite his quality astatine 5 FIFA World Cups, Ronaldo has not lifted the trophy for his country.
Meanwhile, Messi has besides expressed anticipation that helium volition pb Argentina’s rubric defence successful North America but acknowledged that his property and fittingness volition dictate his role.
“I’m going to instrumentality it 1 time astatine a time; being honorable and trying to beryllium realistic and consciousness good,” helium said successful an interrogation with ESPN Argentina this week.
“This twelvemonth I felt precise good.”
The Inter Miami prima admitted that playing nine shot successful the US volition marque it easier for him to see his participation.
“It’s thing bonzer to beryllium capable to beryllium successful a World Cup, and I would emotion to,” the Argentinian skipper said successful different interrogation successful October.
“I would similar to beryllium there, to beryllium well, and beryllium an important portion of helping my team, if I americium there. I’m going to measure that connected a day-to-day ground erstwhile I commencement pre-season adjacent twelvemonth with Inter, and spot if I tin truly beryllium 100 percent, if I tin beryllium useful, and past marque a decision.
“I’m truly anxious due to the fact that it’s a World Cup. We’re coming disconnected winning the past one, and being capable to support it connected the tract again is spectacular, due to the fact that it’s ever a imagination to play with the nationalist team.”
When is the FIFA World Cup 2026 scheduled?
The tourney begins connected June 11 and ends connected July 19 .
Who volition big the FIFA World Cup 2026 final?
The tourney volition statesman astatine the Mexico City Stadium, portion the US volition big the last astatine the MetLife Stadium successful East Rutherford, New Jersey.
What’s the afloat lucifer docket of the World Cup 2026?
The docket volition beryllium confirmed connected Saturday.
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