Soccer fans rejoice. The day is almost here. The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw will take place on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, and determine the 12 groups for the quadrennial tournament.

NBC10 will have special coverage of the draw as well as watch parties in the Philadelphia area. Here’s everything you need to know.

When is the 2026 World Cup draw?

The draw is scheduled to take place on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at 12 p.m. ET.

Where is the 2026 World Cup draw?

The John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. is the site for the draw. The venue is being paid $7.4 million.

What role will Philadelphia play in the World Cup?

Philadelphia is one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The city of brotherly love will host five Group Stage matches — June 14, June 19, June 22, June 25, and June 27 — and a Round of 16 match on the semiquincentennial, July 4, 2026. 

Which teams will play in Philadelphia during the World Cup?

FIFA officials will announce on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, which teams will be playing in Philadelphia during the Group Stage matches. NBC10 will reveal the teams via an article and push alert on the app as soon as they’re announced.

Coverage of the World Cup draw from NBC10 and Telemundo 62

NBC10 will have special coverage of the draw during our 4 p.m. newscast. on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.

NBC10’s Siobhan McGirl will also have coverage of the official World Cup draw watch party at Stateside Live in South Philadelphia during the 11 a.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. newscasts on Friday. The party will include free giveaways and special appearances from local athletes, mascots and more.

Telemundo 62’s Isabel Sanchez will also have coverage of another World Cup draw watch party at Glory Beer Bar & Kitchen in Philadelphia’s Old City neighborhood.

How does the 2026 World Cup draw work?

Of the 42 qualified teams, 39 are split into four pots based on FIFA’s Nov. 2025 men’s world rankings. The three hosts — U.S., Canada, Mexico — will enter pot one. The last six teams, which will be determined by playoff qualifications to be played at a later date, will enter Pot 4.

There will be 12 groups comprised of four teams each, similar to previous tournaments. Games will be played round-robin style, with the top two teams and the eight best third-place teams advancing to the round of 32.

From there, it will be single-elimination games until the final. The teams that make the final four, including the third-place game, will play a total of eight matches now instead of seven. In total, there will be 104 games instead of 64 across the tournament.

Additionally, teams from the same confederation cannot draw each other in the group stage. The only exception is some European teams due to the number of nations involved, but only two max.

What are the pots for the 2026 World Cup draw?

Here’s a full look at how groups may be composed:

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

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

Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa

Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Off A, B, C and D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 and 2

Still alive in the inter-confederation playoffs are New Caledonia, Jamaica and Congo DR on one side and Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq on the other.

Europe has the following teams vying for the last four spots, sorted by their respective playoff brackets: Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania; Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo; and Czechia, Republic of Ireland, Denmark, North Macedonia.

How to watch the 2026 World Cup draw on TV, online

The draw will be available to watch in Spanish on Telemundo and in English on Fox. FIFA.com will carry a stream online.

What are the 2026 World Cup dates?

The action will last about a month and a week beginning in mid-June. Here are the dates to know:

Group stage: June 11-27

Round of 32: June 28 – July 3

Round of 16: July 4-7

Quarterfinals: July 9-11

Semifinals: July 14-15

Third place: July 18

Final: July 19