FIFA World Cup draw live updates: United States to face Australia, Paraguay and winner of Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo

FIFA creates its draw to ensure that its four highest-ranked teams are placed on opposite sides of the bracket to ensure a potential title contender isn't knocked out in an early round. It's what led No. 1-ranked Spain to be drawn into Group H (with Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay), while reigning champion and second-ranked Argentina is in Group J (with Algeria, Austria and Jordan).

Should they win their respective groups, the earliest Spain and Argentina could meet would be in the final.

The U.S. men's national team will open the 2026 World Cup against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Its second game of Group D play will take place June 19 in Seattle against Australia.

It will then close the group stage on June 25, again in Inglewood, California, against the winner of a UEFA playoff featuring Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo.

The FIFA World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., has put the U.S. against Australia in the group stage as matchups are solidified ahead of the 2026 tournament taking place across three countries. Australia is ranked No. 26 globally, while the U.S. is ranked No. 14 by FIFA. 

FIFA World Cup draw puts the U.S. against Australia at group stage

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Nations are listed in order of their position in the group, which determines the order of opponents.

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, (winner of playoff between Denmark, North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Ireland)

Group B: Canada, (winner of playoff between Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Bosnia and Herzegovina), Qatar, Switzerland

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, (winner of playoff between Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo)

Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, (winner of playoff between Ukraine, Sweden, Poland and Albania), Tunisia

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

Group I: France, Senegal, (winner of playoff between Iraq, Bolivia and Suriname), Norway

Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

Group K: Portugal, (winner of playoff between Congo DR, Jamaica, New Caledonia), Uzbekistan, Colombia

Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

There are now two very clear “Groups of Death” with Group C having Brazil, Morocco and Scotland in it, while Group I has France, Senegal and Norway.

The latter will see superstars Kylian Mbappé against Erling Haaland, two of the front-runners to win the Golden Boot as the top goal scorers in the tournament. We will see sparks fly when France and Norway meet in the group stage, while Brazil against Morocco will also be a brilliant group stage game. The soccer gods have delivered us majestic matches in the group stage. Thank you!

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea

Group B: Canada, Qatar, Switzerland

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland

Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia

Group E: Germany, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran

Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia

Group I: France, Senegal, Norway

Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria

Group K: Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia

Group L: England, Croatia, Panama

Argentina, the 2022 World Cup champion, will face Algeria in its 2026 opening game.

Some incredible "Groups of Death" are developing, with Brazil and Morocco in Group C, Spain and Uruguay in Group H, France and Senegal in Group I, and England and Croatia in Group L. This is quite the draw and is incredibly stacked in certain groups. Plenty of powerhouse coaches have very glum looks on their faces in Washington. Wow. 

The three host nations in Mexico, Canada and the U.S. have been handed extremely favorable draws and all three will be under pressure to win the group. The U.S. has Australia and Paraguay in its group so far and it could not have had an easier draw. The host nations are going to be celebrating wildly. It could not have gone better for them. So far.

Paraguay was just drawn into Group D, in the second position, which signifies it will be the first opponent for the U.S. That game will take place in Los Angeles on June 12.

The next 12 teams have been drawn, meaning we are halfway through.

Group A: Mexico, South Korea

Group B: Canada, Switzerland

Group C: Brazil, Morocco

Group D: USA, Australia

Group E: Germany, Ecuador

Group F: Netherlands, Japan

Group G: Belgium, Iran

Group H: Spain, Uruguay

Group I: France, Senegal

Group J: Argentina, Austria

Group K: Portugal, Colombia

Group L: England, Croatia

We now know one of the U.S.' opponents, and it's Australia, which joins Group D. Australia is ranked No. 26 globally.

This is by order of position in the group, starting with the first position. These are the world nine highest-ranked teams, plus the three host nations.

Group A: Mexico

Group B: Canada

Group C: Brazil

Group D: USA

Group E: Germany

Group F: Netherlands

Group G: Belgium

Group H: Spain

Group I: France

Group J: Argentina

Group K: Portugal

Group L: England

Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Shaq and Aaron Judge are on the stage to announce the next groups.

A pair of playoffs held in March will determine the last six teams in the 48-team field.

Two teams will come from a group of Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jamaica, Suriname, Bolivia and New Caledonia.

Four teams will come from a Europe-only playoff featuring 16 teams: Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania, Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo, Denmark, North Macedonia, Czech Republic and Ireland.

Finally, the draw of the 42 teams already qualified for the World Cup is approaching. The draw's conductor, Rio Ferdinand, is being introduced more than 20 minutes later than expected, according to a schedule for the broadcast.

Mexico will be in Group A, Canada will be in Group B and the United States will be in Group D.

President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum are onstage now, being asked questions by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

"It is the biggest of deals" to co-host the World Cup, Carney told the Kennedy Center audience.

Trump remarked that he remembered watching Pele play for the New York Cosmos in the 1970s. "That man can play," Trump recalled saying.

From left, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Jim Watson / AFP - Getty Images

This is the first time Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum have met face-to-face.

They were supposed to meet at the G7 earlier this year, but Trump left early to deal with the conflict between Iran and Israel.

Trump accepted the FIFA Peace Prize and spoke briefly onstage at the Kennedy Center. 

“This is truly one of the great honors of my life. We’ve saved millions and millions of lives," he said after accepting the inaugural prize.

FIFA is having basketball, hockey and football players taking part in the draw itself, while some would have liked for big soccer stars from the U.S., Mexico and Canada to be part of it instead.

Trump was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize as was widely expected. There was a lengthy intro video compiled by FIFA that honored his roles in seeking ceasefires around the world.

Video included mention of his push to end the conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, following a ceremony together on Thursday in Washington, though the fighting there has not ended.

President Donald Trump receives the FIFA Peace Prize today. Dan Mullan / Getty Images

Gianni Infantino says the World Cup will have "7 million people in the stadiums. We will have two, three, four times more, millions coming to the U.S., Canada and Mexico just to feel the vibe of the World Cup. We'll have 6 billion people watching the World Cup from home, from all over the world.

"This is like 104 Super Bowls in one month."

After FIFA President Gianni Infantino's opening remarks, musical artists Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger are scheduled to perform at 12:19 EST.

The draw's conductor, former English player Rio Ferdinand, will be introduced on stage at 12:47 p.m., and his assistants — sports stars Wayne Gretzky, Tom Brady, Shaquille O'Neal and Aaron Judge — will join Ferdinand around 12:53 p.m.

Then comes the moment for which we are all waiting: the beginning of the technical draw. That is scheduled to start at 12:54 p.m.

Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, just introduced President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the Kennedy Center. He then turned to point out Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and first lady Diana Fox Carney. 

Infantino called the World Cup "the greatest event that humanity, that mankind has ever seen and ever will see" and compared it to hosting 104 Super Bowls over the course of a month.

President Donald Trump was asked on the red carpet before entering the Kennedy Center if he's been told he would receive the inaugural FIFA “Peace Prize.”

“I have not been told. There’s a rumor about it,” Trump said, standing next to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Trump later said he’d be honored to receive it.

World-renowned singer Andrea Bocelli just took the stage and sang "Nessun Dorma." Even at 67 years old, he has an incredible voice.

Today, we will find out which teams go in which groups, but FIFA won't announce the full calendar until tomorrow. It will take an extra day to evaluate logistics and time slots so that for example European teams will be scheduled in friendlier time slots for a European audience. 

Right now, 42 are. The nations that are already in include big names like No. 1-ranked Spain; No. 2 Argentina, the defending champion; and No. 3 France, which lost to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final. The field also contains a handful of surprises. Last month, Scotland secured its first appearance since 1998 with a dramatic win, and Curaçao became the smallest nation by population ever to qualify.

That leaves six open spots. They will be filled via dual playoffs that will take place in March. One playoff featuring European teams will fill four of the open spots, while a separate playoff will supply the other two.

As hosts, the U.S. men's national team is guaranteed to avoid fellow hosts Mexico and Canada plus the next nine best-ranked automatic qualifiers via the latest FIFA rankings.

So there will be no Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany on the group stage docket.

They will also not play CONCACAF teams or slots that could be CONCACAF teams. That eliminates Pot 3 team Panama, as well as Pot 4 teams Curacao and Haiti, and the inter-confederation playoff winners, because CONCACAF teams are in those groups.

So Jamaica, Suriname, Bolivia, Iraq, New Caledonia, and DR Congo are out, too.

Read the full story here.

The obvious ones are whether Lionel Messi and Argentina will win back-to-back World Cup titles as he aims to call time on his international career (surely) in the best way possible. While the other big storyline swirling is around Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, and if he can win the one trophy which has eluded him during his legendary career.

There is also plenty of interest around England, France and Spain as the European powerhouses have stacked squads and the Three Lions in particular have come so close to winning silverware but lost in the final of the last two European Championships. There are also the likes of Norway, Scotland and Austria qualifying for the first time in 28 years and all three European nations could go on a deep run if the draw is favorable.

And fairytales are alive and well at this competition as the expanded format has allowed for Uzbekistan, Jordan, Curacao and Cape Verde to qualify for their first-ever World Cup, while Haiti has qualified for just the second time.

Read the full story here.

The FIFA World Cup draw on Friday will be viewed by millions around the globe, but the high-profile event appears to be tailored to one key player: President Donald Trump.

Trump set to host FIFA World Cup team draw

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Andrea Bocelli, one of Trump’s favorite performers, is set to perform, and the Village People will conclude the draw with Trump’s anthem, “Y.M.C.A.”

It will be held at the Kennedy Center in the nation’s capital, where FIFA President Gianni Infantino will debut the organization’s inaugural “Peace Prize.” The White House hasn’t denied reports that Trump, who hasn’t been shy about his desire for the Nobel Prize of the same name, is set to receive it.

Read the full story here.

Messi, known as the greatest player of all time, is 38 years old and in the final stages of his incredible career. The Argentinian superstar, who led the country to a World Cup title in 2022, told NBC News in October the plan is to play.

“I would like to be there, to be well and be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there. And I’m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter [Miami] and see if I can really be 100%, if I can be useful to the group, to the national team, and then make a decision.

"Obviously, I’m really eager because it’s a World Cup. We’re coming off winning the last World Cup, and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular because it’s always a dream to play with the national team, especially in official competitions.”

Lionel Messi on whether he’ll play in the FIFA World Cup 2026

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Led by Lionel Messi, Argentina raised the World Cup trophy as champions in 2022, but getting back to that stage is something a reigning champion hasn't done in six decades.

The last repeat champ was Brazil, which won in 1958 and 1962.

Making the final is no guarantee that such success can be repeated. France came close, winning the championship in 2018 before reaching the final four years later, only to lose to Argentina. Before Les Bleus made back-to-back finals, however, it hadn't happened since Brazil won in 1994 and was the 1998 runner-up.

The betting odds for the 2026 World Cup are intriguing as we now know 42 of the 48 teams that are confirmed to qualify for the tournament.

With the group stage pairings and the route each team has to the final to be confirmed, the odds will reflect how easy, or tough, teams have it.

Read the full story here.

Forty-eight teams will play in next summer's men's World Cup, up from the previous 32-team format. This is also the first World Cup to be co-hosted by three countries — Mexico, Canada and the U.S.

But all 48 teams haven't qualified. Only 42 have, with the final six to be decided in March via two different playoff systems, one that will determine four more teams from Europe and another that will determine two other countries from scattered regions.

The U.S. advanced out of the group stage to the round of 16 in each of their last three World Cup appearances, in 2010, 2014 and 2022. They’re ranked 14th in the world. For context, the U.S. men have been ranked in the top 10 just once since 2006.

While the U.S. opponents won’t be known until Friday, their schedule for the group stage is already out. The U.S. will play June 12 in Los Angeles, June 19 in Seattle and June 25 back in Los Angeles.

Because of their role as hosts, which groups Mexico, Canada and the U.S. will be in has been predetermined. The question is which opponents will join them.

But, for now, Mexico is slotted to be placed into Group A, Canada in Group B and the U.S. in Group D.

Tim Ream from the United States men’s national team joins "TODAY" to talk about how it will feel to play the tournament in the United States, what to expect from the draw and more.

Tim Ream talks 2026 FIFA World Cup draw

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You thought the World Cup draw was solely about teams learning who they will play? No, the worlds of politics and entertainment will be present at the World Cup draw, too. When the draw begins at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump is expected to be in attendance. The show will be co-hosted by comedian Kevin Hart, model and television personality Heidi Klum and actor Danny Ramirez.

There also will be musical performances by Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger and the Village People, who are performing, "Y.M.C.A."

FIFA has broken down the 48 teams into four “pots” that are effectively ordered by each nation’s world ranking.

The draw will kick off by selecting the three host nations: Mexico, Canada and the U.S.

From there, nine more teams from “Pot 1" — the world's nine highest-ranked teams, including No. 1 Spain and reigning champion and No. 2-ranked Argentina — will be drawn, ensuring that one team from that pot will be placed into all 12 groups. Then one team from Pot 2 is drawn into every group, and the cycle is repeated for pots 3 and 4.

Read the full article here.

Ferdinand, a former English captain, will conduct Friday's draw with broadcaster Samantha Johnson, but FIFA has also brought in a number of stars from other sports to help draw teams.

They include Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Shaquille O'Neal and Aaron Judge, the Yankees star recently named the American League's most valuable player.

Per BetMGM, these are the betting favorites to win the 2026 World Cup.

• Spain +400
• England +600
• France +650
• Brazil +750
• Argentina +800
• Portugal +1100
• Germany +1200
• Netherlands +1600
• Norway +2500
• Italy +3300