Source:REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
[Saba Sports News] Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump announced in the White House Oval Office that the draw ceremony for the 2026 World Cup will take place on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington. The draw ceremony includes both procedural elements and entertainment, typically featuring musical performances and speeches before the group stage is determined by drawing balls. The draw will determine the first-stage group stages of the World Cup, with 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four. Before the draw, the 48 teams will be evenly distributed into four pots based on the latest FIFA rankings. The first pot will include the host countries – the USA, Canada, Mexico – as well as the nine highest-ranked teams. The second and third pots follow the same rule, while the fourth pot includes the 12 lowest-ranked teams. Each group will have one team from each of the four pots. It has been confirmed that the opening match of the 2026 World Cup will be held on June 11 at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, meaning Mexico will automatically be placed in Group A. Canada will play the second match and enter Group B, while the USA will play the third match and be placed in Group D. These three matches will be the only games on June 12. At the time of the draw, 42 of the 48 participating teams will have already secured their qualification. The remaining four European spots and two spots from other regions will be decided through a playoff to be held in the host countries in March 2026.