2026 World Cup draw: The 12 groups in full as England and Scotland learn their fate
England and Scotland now know their opponents.
The draw for the 2026 World Cup took place on Friday in a protracted ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
The full line-up of teams is not yet known, with UEFA’s play-off matches and the Inter-confederation play-offs still to take place in March, when the 48-team line-up will be completed.
In addition, the dates and times of matches are still to be known, but 42 teams now know which groups they are in, with most knowing the identity of all the teams they will face in the group stage.
Here are the World Cup groups in full.
Table of Contents
2026 World Cup groups
Group A
- Mexico
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Play-off winner: Denmark/Czechia/Republic of Ireland/North Macedonia
Group B
- Canada
- Play-off winner: Italy/Wales/Bosnia-Herzegovina/Northern Ireland
- Qatar
- Switzerland
Group C
- Brazil
- Morocco
- Haiti
- Scotland
Group D
- USA
- Paraguay
- Australia
- Play-off winner: Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo
Group E
- Germany
- Curacao
- Ivory Coast
- Ecuador
Group F
- Netherlands
- Japan
- Play-off winner: Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania
- Tunisia
Group G
- Belgium
- Egypt
- Iran
- New Zealand
Group H
- Spain
- Cape Verde
- Saudi Arabia
- Uruguay
Group I
- France
- Senegal
- Play-off winner: Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname
- Norway
Group J
- Argentina
- Algeria
- Austria
- Jordan
Group K
- Portugal
- Play-off winner: DR Congo/Jamaica/New Caledonia
- Uzbekistan
- Colombia
Group L
- England
- Croatia
- Ghana
- Panama
When is the opening game of the World Cup?
The opening game will see Mexico face South Africa on June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Canada will take part in their opening game a day later in Toronto, with the United States also contesting their opening match on June 12 against Paraguay in Los Angeles.
England face Croatia test
England, meanwhile, will have to wait until June 17 for their opening game against Croatia in either Toronto or Arlington.
That represents a difficult start to the tournament for Thomas Tuchel’s men, in what is a rematch of the 2018 semi-final won by Croatia.
England will, however, be confident of getting through Group L, which they will round off against a Panama team they thrashed 6-1 in the group stage in 2018.
Scotland have chance for strong start
Scotland will be outsiders to get through Group C, but can at least have reason for hope of a strong start against Haiti, who are making their first appearance at the tournament since 1974.
That game will take place on June 13 before clashes with Morocco and Brazil, both teams that Scotland faced on their last appearance in the finals back in 1998.
When are the play-offs?
Six places at the World Cup are still to be decided, with four teams from UEFA along with two others from the five other confederations set to take their place at the finals.
Both the UEFA play-offs and the Inter-confederation begin with semi-final ties on March 26. The play-off finals will follow on March 31, when the line-up will be completed.