The USA World Cup group opponents will be revealed on Friday as the host nation holds its breath to learn the path to glory… or more so the odds of getting out of the group stage.
The 2026 World Cup draw will take place at noon ET on Friday in Washington D.C.
Here are potential groups (good and bad) the United States men’s national team could be part of for next summer’s tournament.
Quick things to know about the draw.
The expanded 48-team World Cup for 2026 will be the biggest yet and include several newcomers on the world’s premier soccer stage. Here are the countries playing in their first World Cup at the 2026 edition.
For this list we’ll split countries into three different categories.
Let’s meet the new faces.
True newcomers
Over 1 million tickets sold during the first ticketing window for the 2026 World Cup, announced FIFA on Thursday. Millions of fans who applied for tickets during the Visa Presale Draw weren’t selected and will have to try again for the next window.
So, when might that be?
Next chance to buy World Cup tickets
FIFA and Adidas unveiled the official ball for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday as the Trionda will grace the fields of the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer.
The design features imagery of the three host nations and the ball’s pattern looks similar to the Brazuca ball used in Brazil during the 2014 World Cup.
Trionda 2026 World Cup ball
Ticket sales for the 2026 FIFA World Cup officially began on Wednesday with VISA cardholders able to apply for a chance to purchase tickets. There’s plenty of controversy around the sales process and New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani is taking a firm stand.
One of the chief complaints about FIFA’s World Cup tickets is the “dynamic pricing” set to be implemented. While FIFA were proud to announce that fans could attend group stage games for as low as $60, that number could change based on demand.
UPDATE: FIFA announced on Wednesday that starting prices for group stage tickets will be $60. It was also announced that the most expensive ticket for the final will be priced at $6,730.
It's important to note that FIFA will be implementing dynamic pricing, meaning the prices could change based on demand.
Only one week to go before the first phase of @FIFAWorldCup ticket sales open
Las Vegas is set to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw, according to an ESPN report on Tuesday.
When is World Cup draw?
Sources told the outlet that the date of the draw would be Friday, Dec. 5 and that Las Vegas was selected over cities in Canada and Mexico. FIFA officials have not confirmed the date or site.
Las Vegas will host the 2026 World Cup draw on Dec. 5, according to ESPN.
Soccer’s governing body FIFA announced on Tuesday that the first phase of ticket sales for the men’s 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada will be on Wednesday, Sept. 10.
FIFA plans to release tickets for the World Cup in an unspecified number of phases with the first being in September. These won’t be your everyday tickets purchased on Seat Geek or Ticketmaster. Fans interested in securing tickets for the event will need to register on FIFA’s website and create a FIFA ID.
On Sept. 10 applications for the first draw of tickets will open.
In a spectacle both on and off the pitch, U.S. President Donald Trump made an interesting appearance at the Club World Cup final held at MetLife Stadium, where Chelsea cruised to a convincing 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Cole Palmer rang up two goals and one assist in a sensational first half and Chelsea toppled Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 to win the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday.
Palmer scored in the 22nd and 30th minutes and Joao Pedro tacked on the third goal right before halftime, capitalizing on Palmer's fine touch into the box. Robert Sanchez, meanwhile, saved six shots in his best showing of the tournament.