48 teams, 3 host countries, 104 matches. The 2026 World Cup will be the first of a new era, with ever more superlatives. Contested in Mexico, Canada and the United States, it will pit 12 groups of 4 teams against each other, with a direct elimination phase which will begin with the round of 16. But before accessing it, you will already have to qualify for the said competition. Several confederations have already started this obstacle course, such as in Africa, Asia, Central America and South America. And today it is Europe’s turn to launch the machine, with the draw of the 12 groups, which will bring together 54 selections. UEFA will have a total of 16 qualified selections (compared to 13 in previous editions), a record.
There are therefore 12 seeds in pot 1, where France obviously appears. Because we find all the quarter-finalists of the current Nations League there. The rest of the composition of the hats is done in the order of the FIFA ranking (where France is 2nd). Our Blues will therefore avoid the best European selections, protected by their top seed status. It remains to be seen whether they will inherit a group of 4 or 5, which will obviously determine the schedule.
Follow the draw live:
The hats:
Hat 1
France
Spain
England
Portugal
The Netherlands
Belgium
Italy
Germany
Croatia
Swiss
Denmark
Austria
Hat 2
Ukraine
Suede
Türkiye
Wales
Hungary
Serbia
Poland
Romania
Greece
Slovakia
Czechia
Norway
Hat 3
Scotland
Slovenia
Republic of Ireland
Albania
North Macedonia
Georgia
Finland
Iceland
Northern Ireland
Montenegro
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Israel
Hat 4
Bulgaria
Luxembourg
Belarus
Kosovo
Armenia
Kazakhstan
Azerbaijan
Estonia
Cyprus
Faroe Islands
Latvia
Lithuania
Hat 5
Moldova
Malta
Andorra
Gibraltar
Liechtenstein
San Marino
