Your country has qualified for the 2026 World Cup. You're excited about seeing your nation play with the best of the best. But the biggest question is, how will each team know their opponents?The biggest edition ever of the world's marquee sporting event is next summer, running from June 11 through July 19, know that 42 of the 48 teams are in. Six more teams will qualify in March 2026. But the next phase will be dividing up all 48 spots into 12 groups of four. From there, it'll be about reaching the knockout stage with an eye on the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. So let's answer some questions about how today's draw will TO: Time/Dateand the FOX Sports App. What Are Pots? How Does It Determine Groups?The 48 participating teams will be placed into "pots" based on criteria such as FIFA rankings and confederation constraints. We already know 42 of those 48 teams ahead of the draw. The other six teams will be known by March of the four pots will have 12 teams. And each group will therefore have one team from each pot. The three host nations are already placed into specific groups to ensure their matches occur in their home from the same qualification zone except for the European confederation cannot be drawn into the same group. So don't expect two South American teams, for example, in the same group. However
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, you could see up to two UEFA teams in 1Pot 1 will include the three host nations plus the nine highestranked qualified teams based on FIFA's rankings, which were released Nov. 19. That list includes Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal
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, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. Pots 2, 3 ; 4With Pot 1 defined, the remaining qualified teams will be distributed in order into Pot 2, Pot 3 and Pot 4 based on their rankings. Each of these pots will also have 12 the draw is held on Dec. 5, there will be six placeholders for the teams that will emerge from various playoff rounds across the globe that will be played in March.
