What to Know About the 2026 World Cup Draw: 48 Teams, New Rules, and More

• The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams and will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with these three host countries automatically placed in Pot 1.
• New rules will separate the top four ranked teams (Spain, Argentina, France, and England) into different groups, ensuring they can only meet in the semi-finals at the earliest.
• The draw will be based primarily on FIFA rankings, and each group will be restricted to one team per continent, except for Europe, which can have up to two teams in the same group.
• The tournament will introduce an additional knockout round, with a 32-team knockout stage, meaning the champions will play 8 matches in total.

The 2026 World Cup, to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will kick off with the official group draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on December 5, 2025. This year’s tournament will see a major expansion with 48 teams. FIFA has unveiled important details and new rules for this groundbreaking event.

New "Tennis-Style" Rule: Separating the Giants

In an effort to balance the competition, FIFA has introduced a new rule resembling tennis tournaments, which will separate the top 4 teams in the world: Spain, Argentina, France, and England. These teams will be placed in different sections of the draw, ensuring they can only meet in the semi-finals at the earliest.

• Host Nations: The three host nations—Mexico (Group A1), Canada (Group B1), and the United States (Group D1)—will automatically be placed in Pot 1, and their group positions have already been pre-determined.
• Pot Structure: The pot division will follow FIFA rankings, with Pot 1 consisting of the host nations and the next 9 highest-ranked teams. Teams still to be determined from the European playoffs (e.g., Italy) and intercontinental playoffs will be placed in Pot 4.
• Continental Restrictions: Each group will have no more than one team per continent, except for Europe, which can have up to two teams in the same group.

Ticket Controversy

FIFA has faced significant criticism over World Cup ticket prices. The starting price for opening match tickets is $370 (about 13,000 Baht), with the most expensive tickets reaching $6,730 (around 235,000 Baht). These prices are 10 times higher than those for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Key Details and Schedule

• First match: The opening match will take place on June 11, 2026, at Azteca Stadium in Mexico. The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026.
• New knockout rounds: The tournament will feature a 32-team knockout stage, which means that the champions will play 8 matches.
• Draw Participants: The draw ceremony will feature prominent guests, including U.S. President Donald Trump (who is expected to receive FIFA’s Peace Award), as well as sports legends Tom Brady (NFL), Shaquille O'Neal (NBA), and Wayne Gretzky (NHL).
• Viewing in Thailand: The draw will start at 12:00 AM (midnight) on December 6, 2025, Thailand time. It will be broadcast live on FIFA’s official website and YouTube channel.