FIFA World Cup 2026 draw: Argentina begin title defence vs Algeria

NEW DELHI: Defending champions Argentina and European powerhouse Spain received favourable radical draws for the 2026 World Cup during a star-studded ceremonial that besides saw U.S.

President Donald Trump awarded FIFA’s caller bid prize.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The draw, held astatine the Kennedy Center successful Washington, marked the authoritative countdown to the expanded 48-team tournament, present conscionable six months away.

Lionel Messi and Argentina volition unfastened their rubric defence against Algeria, with further group-stage fixtures against Austria and tourney debutants Jordan successful Group J.Spain, among the starring contenders and existent European champions, volition statesman their run against first-time qualifiers Cape Verde earlier facing Uruguay and Saudi Arabia successful Group H."All the praise volition not weaken us, rather the opposite," insisted Spain manager Luis de la Fuente. "We privation to bash thing large astatine this World Cup and that means making definite we bash good successful the radical stage, past carrying connected from there."Thomas Tuchel's England, seeking to triumph the World Cup for the archetypal clip since 1966, volition anticipation to triumph Group L that features beaten 2018 finalists Croatia arsenic good arsenic Ghana and Panama.Two-time winners France, meanwhile, look awkward tests against Senegal and Erling Haaland's Norway successful Group I, which volition beryllium completed by an intercontinental play-off victor from either Iraq, Bolivia oregon Suriname.

For the archetypal time, the gully was done successful specified a mode arsenic to guarantee the 4 highest-ranked nations were kept isolated -- Spain, Argentina, France and England cannot conscionable earlier the semi-finals, if each 4 apical their groups.However, the way to that signifier -- with an other knockout circular present pursuing the radical signifier -- looks perilous for immoderate of the contenders.If the apical seeds each decorativeness archetypal successful their groups, England could, for example, find themselves playing co-hosts Mexico successful Mexico City successful the past 16 and past Brazil successful the quarter-finals, earlier a last-four clash with Argentina.The tourney volition beryllium held crossed the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, with 16 much teams added to the planetary showpiece, up from the 32 nations progressive successful 2022. That means a full of 104 matches, compared to 64 games past time.

While the US volition big the bulk of matches including the last astatine the MetLife Stadium extracurricular New York, 3 of the 16 venues volition beryllium successful Mexico and 2 successful Canada.The 3 hosts person experienced turbulent relations since Trump came to powerfulness but helium brushed that aside. "We've worked intimately with those 2 countries, and the coordination and relationship and narration has been outstanding," Trump said aft receiving his bid prize from FIFA president Gianni Infantino."It is genuinely 1 of the large honors of my life. It is specified an grant to beryllium with Gianni. He has done specified an unthinkable job," Trump added.Trump seized the limelight, adjacent dancing erstwhile the Village People performed, but Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum were besides successful attendance.The lawsuit was co-hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum and American histrion and comedian Kevin Hart. NFL fable Tom Brady, crystal hockey icon Wayne Gretzky and erstwhile NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal were among the stars who helped behaviour the draw.Co-hosts Mexico volition instrumentality connected South Africa successful Group A successful the opening crippled of the tourney astatine the Estadio Azteca successful Mexico City connected June 11.Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil and astonishment 2022 semi-finalists Morocco came retired unneurotic successful Group C, which besides features Scotland and Haiti.Germany's opponents successful Group E volition beryllium Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Caribbean minnows Curacao, portion Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal volition look Uzbekistan, Colombia and a play-off winner.Co-hosts the United States got a manageable draw, with Paraguay, Australia and a European play-off victor successful Group D.The apical 2 teams successful each radical beforehand to the past 32, joined by the 8 champion third-placed teams."It volition beryllium the top World Cup ever," Infantino claimed.

"This is similar 104 Super Bowls successful 1 period -- this is the magnitude of what we are organizing."Because of the complexity, teams volition lone larn the afloat details of their lucifer venues and kick-off times connected Saturday.The 12 groups for the 2026 World Cup successful the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026 pursuing Friday's gully successful Washington:Group AMexico, South Africa, South Korea, a qualifier Group BCanada, a qualifier, Qatar, SwitzerlandGroup CBrazil, Morocco, Haiti, ScotlandGroup DUnited States, Paraguay, Australia, a qualifierGroup EGermany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, EcuadorGroup FNetherlands, Japan, a qualifier, TunisiaGroup GBelgium, Egypt, Iran, New ZealandGroup HSpain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, UruguayGroup IFrance, Senegal, qualifier, NorwayGroup JArgentina, Algeria, Austria, JordanGroup KPortugal, a qualifier, Uzbekistan, ColombiaGroup LEngland, Croatia, Ghana, Panama(With inputs from AFP)