Results of the 2026 World Cup Draw

The group-stage draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup took place on 5 December in Washington, USA. The tournament will run from 11 June to 19 July across the United States, Mexico and Canada. The 48 teams that qualified for the finals have been allocated into 12 groups.

Who will win the 2026 World Cup?

Spain

9/2

England

13/2

France

8/1

The ceremony itself took some criticism both from fans, unhappy with a drawn-out entertainment programme before the draw, and from national-team coaches. Thomas Tuchel said the show element only distracted from the football, while Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken described the event as a freak show.

Group-Stage Draw: Group Lists

At the time of the draw, 42 national teams had already sealed their spots in the finals, while the remaining six participants will be decided in the play-offs in March 2026.

With the expansion of the finals to 48 teams, it is hardly a surprise that no quartet genuinely fits the label group of death. The group stage will go without heavyweight head-to-heads. The only match-up likely to stir interest is France vs Norway, mainly because of the Kylian Mbappé vs Erling Haaland storyline.

All Groups of the 2026 World Cup

Given that the knockouts begin from the round of 32, even tournament debutants can realistically hope to progress.

• Curaçao have landed a playable group with a clear favourite in Germany and two fairly middle-tier opponents in Ivory Coast and Ecuador.

• Uzbekistan are still waiting to know all their rivals, yet they will certainly back themselves against Colombia, while the three teams entering via the play-offs look like clear outsiders on paper.

• Cape Verde have slightly less favourable circumstances, although they do have a chance to challenge Saudi Arabia and Uruguay for third place, especially as Uruguay were unconvincing in South American qualifying.

• Jordan arguably drew the toughest group of all, containing a top-tier Argentina side, a solid Austria team and an Algeria squad that dropped only one match during African qualifying.

2026 World Cup Play-off Schedule

In the UEFA play-offs, 16 teams will compete for four spots at the finals. In the intercontinental play-offs, six teams will battle for the final two berths.

UEFA play-offs

Path 1:

• 26 March: Italy —  Northern Ireland

• 26 March: Wales —  Bosnia and Herzegovina (winner hosts the final)

• 31 March: Final

Path 2:

• 26 March: Ukraine —  Sweden (winner hosts the final)

• 26 March: Poland —  Albania

• 31 March: Final

Path 3:

• 26 March: Slovakia —  Kosovo (winner hosts the final)

• 26 March: Turkey —  Romania

• 31 March: Final

Path 4:

• 26 March: Denmark — North Macedonia

• 26 March: Czech Republic — Republic of Ireland (winner hosts the final)

• 31 March: Final

Intercontinental play-offs

Path 1:

• 26 March: New Caledonia — Jamaica

• 31 March: DR Congo —  New Caledonia / Jamaica

Path 2:

• 26 March: Bolivia — Suriname

• 31 March: Iraq — Bolivia / Suriname

Main Favourites for the 2026 World Cup: Betting Odds

Bookmakers view Spain as the leading contender. The reigning European champions boast their strongest crop of talent since the era of Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta. They cruised through qualifying unbeaten and have been handed a comfortable group, giving them ample room to play themselves into form.

England are the second favourites, the Euro 2024 runners-up, while France, semi-finalists at the same tournament, complete the top three. Hard to argue with the odds since all three showcased superiority at Euro 2024 and dominated their qualifying groups.

England’s Chances at the 2026 World Cup

England were one of only two teams to win every match in qualifying and the only side to keep a perfect defensive record by conceding zero goals across eight fixtures. The opposition was modest, featuring Albania, Serbia, Latvia and Andorra, but the achievement remains highly impressive. The last European team to navigate World Cup qualifying without conceding was also England, back in 1990.

Group-Stage Schedule at the 2026 World Cup

There is no doubt England will progress to the knockouts. The fight for top spot will be settled in the opening matchday against Croatia. Their only World Cup meeting came in 2018, when the Balkan side denied England a place in the final with a 2:1 victory. Much has changed since then. England have developed another golden generation, while Croatia’s leaders from that era have either hung up their boots or are nearing retirement.

England to win Group L

Bonus £30

Bet

29/100

England’s squad makes them one of the leading candidates for the trophy, yet a couple of factors remain. First, England’s historical struggles at World Cups linger, with their only final dating all the way back to 1966. Second, everything will depend on the physical condition of the key players, many of whom will arrive after enduring intense Premier League schedules and likely deep European runs.

England to win the 2026 World Cup

Bonus £30

Bet

13/2

Format and Schedule of the 2026 World Cup Group Stage

Teams will play each opponent once. The top two in every group plus the eight best third-placed sides progress to the knockouts. The knockouts begin from the round of 32.

Tournament schedule:

Group stage — 11–27 June 2026

• First round (11–17 June)

• Second round (18–23 June)

• Third round (24–27 June)

Round of 32 — 28 June–3 July

Round of 16 — 4–7 July

Quarter-finals — 9–11 July

Semi-finals — 14–15 July

Third-place match — 18 July

Final — 19 July

Where to Watch the 2026 World Cup in England

All matches of the 2026 World Cup will be broadcast by BBC and ITV. Match highlights will be available on BBC iPlayer, while BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra will provide live audio commentary. The final will be shown by both broadcasters.

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