FIFA confirmed the pots and procedure for the World Cup draw.

2025-11-25 21:46 © SIPA

With less than 200 days until the World Championship, FIFA announced the confirmed procedure for the tournament's group stage draw.

On December 5, in the hall of the "John F. Kennedy Center" in Washington, 48 teams will be distributed into 12 groups of 4 teams each.

In the strongest pot, besides the host nations, will also be Spain, Argentina, France, England, the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, and Germany. FIFA will ensure that the highest-ranked Argentinians and Spaniards can only meet in the championship final.

Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany

Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia

Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa

Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, Europe playoff teams A, B, C, and D, FIFA playoff teams 1 and 2

The draw will begin by picking all teams from Pot 1 into groups A–L. It will then continue with Pots 2, 3, and 4 in the same order.