The groups for the FIFA World Cup 2026 were announced last night. Here, we will discuss which team went into which group, some group stage matches to look out for, and which group could be considered the ‘group of death.’
While only 32 teams competed in the competition up until its last edition in 2022, this time around, the competition has been expanded to 48 teams. Not only does it mean a wave of new teams qualifying, some of them for the first time, but it also means an increase in the number of groups.
In 2022, the qualified teams were divided into eight groups of four teams each, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the round of 16. However, this time, the division will be in 12 groups of four teams each. While the top two will still make it to the knockouts, eight third-placed teams will also make it to the round of 32.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 draw, the event where the groups were decided, was held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The ceremony lasted for well over two hours and was way too long, seeing that the draw didn’t even start until well over an hour into the event.
However, the proceedings started when four legends of North American sports came out for the draw. NFL legend Tom Brady drew from Pot 1, Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal drew from Pot 2, baseball star Aaron Judge drew from Pot 3, and FHL icon Wayne Gretzky pulled the names out from Pot 4.
Pot 1 consisted of the top nine FIFA-ranked teams in the competition, plus the three hosts—Canada, Mexico, and the USA. Pot two consisted of teams ranked 10-21, pot 3 had teams ranked from 22 to 33, and pot 4 had the 12 lowest-ranked teams in this tournament.
However, before the drawing even started, the national leaders of all three host nations, those being US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Prado, drew out their respective nations.
It must also be noted that while the FIFA World Cup 2026 will have 48 teams, only 42 nations have confirmed their qualification so far. The final six teams, four from Europe and two from the rest of the world, will play their final qualification matches in March 2026.
At the end of the two-hour-long ceremony, we had our 12 groups, which are as follows.
2026 FIFA World Cup Groups
Group A
Group A consists of the host nation, Mexico, from Pot 1, South Korea from Pot 2, South Africa from Pot 3, and the winner of UEFA Path D, which will be either the Czech Republic, Ireland, Denmark, or North Macedonia.
The first match of the tournament, played on June 11, 2026, will see Mexico take on South Africa in Mexico City. While Mexico and South Korea regularly qualify for the World Cup, this is only the second time South Africa will play in this competition, having hosted the competition in 2010.
South Korea is arguably the most successful Asian team in FIFA World Cup history, becoming the first team from its continent to make it to the semis in 2002. And lastly, from the UEFA Path D qualifier teams, Denmark has qualified for all but two World Cups since 1998, the Czech Republic has not qualified for one since 2006, Ireland has not made it to one since 2002, and North Macedonia will be looking to qualify for the first time.
Mexico vs. South Korea is the match to watch from this group.
Group A Teams: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, UEFA Path D winner (Czech Republic/Ireland/Denmark/North Macedonia)
Group B
Group B consists of the host nation, Canada, from Pot 1; Switzerland from Pot 2; Qatar from Pot 3; and the winner of UEFA Path A, which will be either Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, or Northern Ireland from Pot 4.
Canada will be playing in the FIFA World Cup for the third time. They also had a decent showing in 2022. Qatar, after becoming the worst-performing host last time around, will be looking for redemption in their second World Cup campaign. Meanwhile, Switzerland is a regular qualifier for this competition, having even made it to the knockouts on multiple occasions.
Finally, the qualifier consists of teams of varying quality. Italy is a four-time World Champion but has not qualified for the last two tournaments. While they are the favourites here, the qualification has been quite poor for them. Bosnia and Herzegovina last played in the competition in 2014, while Wales played in 2022. Northern Ireland has never qualified for the World Cup.
Canada vs. Switzerland, and the potential Switzerland vs. Italy match will be the games to watch in this group.
Group B Teams: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, UEFA Path A winner (Italy/Bosnia and Herzegovina/Wales/Northern Ireland)
Group C
Group C is the first group with no qualification drama remaining. From Pot 1, Brazil was drawn into this group; from Pot 2, it was Morocco. Scotland made it to this group from Pot 3, while Haiti did so from Pot 4.
Brazil is the most successful team in FIFA World Cup history, having won the competition five times. Morocco rocked the world in 2022, becoming the first African team to qualify for the World Cup semi-final.
Scotland qualified in 2022 as well, but became the first team to be eliminated from the tournament. Lastly, Haiti has qualified for the first time since 1974.
Brazil vs. Morocco will be the match to watch from this group.
Group C Teams: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
Group D
Group D saw the final host nation, the United States of America, be drawn from Pot 1. From Pot 2, it was Australia who made it. Paraguay is the Pot 3 team in this group, while the UEFA Path C winner, which will be either Slovakia, Kosovo, Türkiye, or Romania, will make it from Pot 4.
The USA and Australia regularly qualify for World Cups, and both of them even made it to the Round of 16 in 2022. Paraguay, on the other hand, has qualified for this tournament for the first time since 2010, when they made it to the quarterfinals.
Finally, of the four UEFA Path C teams, Romania last played in a World Cup in 1998, Türkiye in 2002, and Slovakia in 2010. Kosovo has never even qualified.
The USA vs. Australia will be the most high-profile game in this group. Meanwhile, if Türkiye qualifies, they will have a massive game against the United States as well.
Group D Teams: USA, Australia, Paraguay, UEFA Path C winner (Slovakia, Kosovo, Türkiye, Romania)
Group E
Group D consists of the mighty Germany from Pot 1, Ecuador from Pot 2, the Ivory Coast from Pot 3, and Curacao from Pot 4.
Germany is the most prolific European nation in the history of the FIFA World Cup, having won the competition on four occasions, with the last being in 2014. However, they have not made it out of the group stage since. Ecuador had an excellent qualifying for this World Cup, having finished second in the CONMEBOL qualifiers, just behind Argentina. Then there is the Ivory Coast, which has qualified for the first time since 2014.
Then there is Curacao. The Caribbean island nation has become the smallest country by population and area to have ever qualified for the Men’s FIFA World Cup. With an estimated population of 160000, over half of this country can sit inside the MetLife Stadium, the location of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
Germany vs. Ecuador is the match to watch here. Although Germany will be the heavy favourite.
Group E Teams: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
Group F
Group F consists of the Netherlands from Pot 1, Asian giants Japan from Pot 2, Tunisia from Pot 3, and the winner of UEFA Path B, which will be one of Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, and Albania, from Pot 4.
The Netherlands might be the most successful team in FIFA World Cup history to have never won the competition. They have been to the final thrice, the last being in 2010. This is Japan’s eighth consecutive World Cup qualification. Meanwhile, Tunisia has made it to this competition for the third time in a row and has an opportunity to make it to the playoffs for the first time.
From the UEFA Path B, Poland regularly qualifies for the World Cup, and so does Sweden. However, the latter did not make it in 2022. Ukraine, in the middle of a war against Russia, might just qualify for the second time in its history and the first time since 2006. Finally, there is Albania, which has never made it to the World Cup.
Netherlands vs. Japan will be the match to watch here.
Group F Teams: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, UEFA Path B winner (Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania)
Group G
Group G is a strong one, consisting of Belgium from Pot 1, Iran from Pot 2, Egypt from Pot 3, and New Zealand from Pot 4.
Belgium, for a long time in the 2010s, was the highest-ranked FIFA team in the world, making several runs into the playoffs this century. Iran, on the other hand, has never made it past the group stage despite several World Cup campaigns.
Egypt, despite first appearing in the World Cup in 1934, has only qualified for the fourth time. And lastly, due to the team expansion, New Zealand has booked the first-ever confirmed Oceania spot in the World Cup.
Belgium vs. Iran and Egypt vs. Belgium will be the games to watch here.
Group G Teams: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
Group H
Group H has a claim of being the Group of Death. It consists of the World No. 1-ranked FIFA team and the defending European Champions, Spain, from Pot 1, Uruguay from Pot 2, Saudi Arabia from Pot 3, and Cape Verde from Pot 4.
Spain is arguably the best national football team in the world at the moment. Ranked number one, they had an unbeaten campaign in the 2024 UEFA Euros, winning the tournament with relative ease. They are also former FIFA World Cup winners, winning the competition in 2010. Uruguay is a two-time World Cup winner, winning the first-ever edition in 1930.
Saudi Arabia, despite not making it out of the group stage in 2022, was the only team in that tournament that defeated the eventual champions, Argentina. And finally, there is Cape Verde. The small island nation off the western coast of Africa qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time.
Spain vs. Uruguay will not only be THE match to watch from this group but will also be one of the biggest games in the group stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Group H Teams: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde
Group I
Group I is yet another one that can be considered the Group of Death. From Pot 1, France made it, while from Pot 2, it was Senegal. Norway was the Pot 3 team to be drawn into this group, and the Pot 4 spot will be filled by the winner of the Inter-confederation Path 2, which will be either Iraq, Bolivia, or Suriname.
France is a two-time FIFA World Cup champion. This team won the competition in 2018 and then made it to the final in 2022, where they lost in an all-time classic match to Argentina. Then there is Senegal, which will look to make it to the playoffs for a second campaign in a row.
What makes a group exciting is the drawing of Norway. This means that two of the best players in the world, Kylian Mbappe of France and Erling Haaland of Norway, will collide on the grandest stage of football. The Norwegians have made it to the World Cup for the first time since 1998. Lastly, the IC Path 2 teams have not played a World Cup game this century. Iraq last played in the 1986 edition, Bolivia in 1994, and Suriname, despite qualifying in 1990 for their one and only time, withdrew before the tournament started.
France vs. Norway is the biggest match from this group and also one of the most looked-forward-to group stage games from this World Cup.
Group I Teams: France, Senegal, Norway, IC Path 2 winner (Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname)
Group J
This is the group where defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will play. The Albiceleste are the Pot 1 team in this group, while Austria is here from Pot 2, Algeria is the Pot 3 side, and Jordan is from Pot 4.
Argentina, after a sensational campaign, won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The three-time World Cup winners have also won the last two Copa America titles, the most recent one having been played in the USA. On the other hand, Austria was a football superpower in the 1930s-50s. However, they have not qualified for this competition since 1998.
Algeria, despite being one of the best African national teams, has not qualified for the World Cup since 2014. And finally, Jordan, a team that was ranked 117th in 2018, 20 places below India at that point, has now qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
While Argentina is expected to win this group with relative ease, the likes of Austria and Algeria might provide interesting match-ups.
Group J Teams: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
Group K
Group K consists of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal from Pot 1, Colombia from Pot 2, Uzbekistan from Pot 3, and the winner of the Inter-confederation Path 1, which will be either DR Congo, Jamaica, or New Caledonia, from Pot 4.
Portugal, despite being one of the best teams in world football, has never won the FIFA World Cup, not even under the highest goalscorer in football history, Cristiano Ronaldo. Meanwhile, Colombia made it to the knockouts in consecutive campaigns in 2014 and 2018 before missing out on the World Cup in 2022. Uzbekistan, like a few other teams in the FIFA World Cup 2026, has qualified for this competition for the first time.
Then we come to the Inter-confederation Path 1 teams. While DR Congo has never qualified for the World Cup, it did so as Zaire in 1974, the former name of this nation. Jamaica, on the other hand, did qualify for 1998. Meanwhile, New Caledonia wasn’t even a member nation of FIFA till 2006.
Portugal vs. Colombia will be the game to watch from this group.
Group K Teams: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, IC Path 1 winner (DR Congo, Jamaica, New Caledonia)
Group L
The final group of the FIFA World Cup 2026 consists of England from Pot 1, Croatia from Pot 2, Panama from Pot 3, and Ghana from Pot 4.
England is one of the highest-ranked teams in world football. However, despite consistent performances in international competitions over the past decade, this team has not won an international trophy this century, winning their one and only FIFA World Cup in 1966, exactly 60 years before this edition. The Three Lions will go up against Croatia in this group, which will be a rematch of the semifinal from the 2018 World Cup. The Croatians have made it to the semi-finals in the last two World Cups, making it all the way to the final in 2018.
Panama has had a rapid rise in world football over the last few years. They first qualified for the competition in 2018 and look to make it to the playoffs for the first time in 2026. And finally, Ghana, which has qualified for four out of the last five World Cups, even making it to the quarterfinals in 2010 and was just inches away from a place in the semis.
England vs. Croatia is the match to watch from this group.
Group L Teams: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana
FAQs
Q) In which group of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is Lionel Messi’s Argentina?
A) Defending champions Argentina is in Group J of the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.
Q) Which group will Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal play in the FIFA World Cup 2026?
A) Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will be in Group K at the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Colombia, Uzbekistan, and the winner of the Inter-confederation Path 1, which will be either DR Congo, Jamaica, or New Caledonia.
Q) Which is the ‘Group of Death’ in the FIFA World Cup 2026?
A) The ‘Group of Death’ is a group in any round-robin competition where multiple top teams are placed. And with all the teams being relatively close in quality, it is difficult to predict the teams that will thrive in that group.
In the 2026 FIFA World Cup, due to a wider spread of teams, and seeing that most groups will have three nations make it to the round of 32, it is difficult to ascertain one clear ‘Group of Death.’
However, three groups can stake the claim of being the ‘Group of Death’ in this World Cup. First is Group H, which consists of Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, and Cape Verde. Group I is even tighter, seeing France, Senegal, Norway, and either Iraq, Bolivia, or Suriname battle it out. Then there is group L, which consists of a stacked list of countries, namely England, Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.
Q) Are Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in the same group in the FIFA World Cup 2026?
A) Yes! Kylian Mbappe’s France and Erling Haaland’s Norway are in the same group in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The two giants of world football will finally face off on the biggest stage in the world.
Get the Latest UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, La Liga, Saudi Pro League, and MLS at IceCric.News and Follow for Live Updates – Facebook & Instagram.
