The draw ceremony for the FIFA World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. divided a record 48 teams into 12 groups of four. It also formed the stage for U.S.

On Friday, FIFA held the draw for the largest World Cup ever, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11, 2026, through July 19, 2026.

The FIFA World Cup draw ceremony begins at Noon ET on Friday, Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C. The 2026 World Cup draw is being held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup schedule has been released, including the slate of matches coming to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Some big names will be playing here, too, like Lionel Messi and Argentina and a star-studded Netherlands squad that should bring a big traveling fan base. While initial expectations were some 650,000 fans could travel to KC as part of the World Cup games, that number may now be bigger, representatives from KC2026 say.

We now know every team's path at the 2026 World Cup. On Friday at the Kennedy Center in Washington, a collection of FIFA soccer legends, dignitaries and celebrities drew the groups from four pots. Now, we know who every country will have to play next summer across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The 2026 World Cup is getting closer and after the draw which took place on Friday at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington , D.C., on Saturday the official schedule will be released by FIFA.

The World Cup final will take place at 3pm (ET) at MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026, FIFA confirmed, in a move that will renew tensions over player welfare and commercial priorities.