2026 FIFA World Cup

[DeegzCuse]

ESPN with the pots, to date, and the playoffs. All winners will go into Pot 4.

2026 World Cup playoff draws: Reactions, predictions, more

Six spots remain up for grabs at the 2026 World Cup, with four to emerge from Europe and a further two from an intercontinental playoff. What's the draw, and who will advance? We make our picks.

www.espn.com

The really interesting thing here is that since we are in Pot 1 as a host, our group will be one each from Pots 2, 3 and 4.

In the last 2 windows, we just had positive results against THREE of the Pot 2 teams against no losses and a win against a South American Pot 3 team.

That tells me that this team is playing well enough to win their group, which we might not have believed six months ago.

Nightmare draw would be:

Pot 2 - Croatia or Morocco

Pot 3 - Norway with Erling Haaland

Pot 4 - Italy, Turkiye or Sweden (Isak, Gyokores, Anthony Elanga) getting through from the Playoffs and getting drawn into our group.

Dream Draw:

Pot 2 - Australia

Pot 3 - Qatar or Uzbekistan

Pot 4 - Curacao or Cape Verde Islands

Definitely appreciate you doing these breakouts. Norway absolutely scares me as a Pot 3 possibility. Haaland against our CBs? No thanks.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Definitely appreciate you doing these breakouts. Norway absolutely scares me as a Pot 3 possibility. Haaland against our CBs? No thanks.

Now, of course you only get 1 team from each confederation in your group draw, although 2 groups will have 2 European clubs. I'd rather face an Asian team than an African or South American team, of course, but we're going to get at least 1 team from Africa or South America in our draw.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I think it is a testament to just how arrogant FIFA is.

To say that an American President has no jurisdiction over a event occurring in the US and that an intl organization trumps the US president in terms of authority within US borders might just be the dumbest statement ever uttered.

So, if Trump said "Miami can't host the Super Bowl" after it's already been scheduled there, tickets sold, hotel and travel arrangements made, you'd be good with that??

 

[CanadianSU]

This is what FIFA wanted - to include more 3rd world countries in the WC. It's kind of like wanting more Cinderellas in the NCAA Basketball tournament, instead of all the same of P5 schools taking up all the bids.

And I bet it will be effective. Look how well the Brazilian, African and Argentina club teams did this summer at the Club WC. These were huge pride games for them.

Brazil & Argentina clubs are some of the most supported in the world. The thing is the Cinderella teams can’t really apply as it isn’t college basketball where far less predictable. Half the teams in the euro playoff format would absolutely beat many already in the World Cup.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

So, if Trump said "Miami can't host the Super Bowl" after it's already been scheduled there, tickets sold, hotel and travel arrangements made, you'd be good with that??

Hey Matty,

I never said I'd be good with that.

All I said is that an intl organization telling the world that FIFA trumps the US President in terms of jurisdiction over an event held in the US is pure folly.

 

[realorange]

So, FIFA has learned what everyone knows who has to deal with Donnie. Kiss up to him and the World Cup will go on without some stupid comment on his part.

The big kiss though will be at The Draw in the Trump/Kennedy Center which will feature
"----- the first annual FIFA Peace Prize to recognize “the outstanding contribution of those who work hard to end conflicts and bring people together in a spirit of peace.”
I wonder who the recipient will be??

The World Cup Is Coming to America—and It Has a Plan to Keep Trump Onside

https://www.wsj.com/sports/soccer/w...trump-d64b57ea?mod=Searchresults&pos=1&page=1

 

[upperdeck]

first go around group D vs group G who is topped by Belgium

Pot 2 is Australia #26 ranked. I dont think thats a bad draw for the US is it?

Pot 3 #39 Paraguay

so both teams we just played a beat

Funny Brazil has skipped all the next few picks due so conflicts and ended up with Scotland

I think the goal was to Avoid Norway and the one man machine.

Pot 4 winner of turkiye romania slovakia Kosovo

Turkiye? is actually pretty highly ranked for a Pot 4

 

[Forza Azzurri]

first go around group D vs group G who is topped by Belgium

Pot 2 is Australia. I dont think thats a bad draw for the US is it?

The best. Either them or Iran is the weakest team in Pot 2.

Avoid Norway and Paraguay from Pot 3 and any of the Euro playoff teams from Group 4 and it will be a golden ticket draw.

Group G also weak so far.

 

[upperdeck]

And we get Paraguqy and also a top 25 team in the Pot 4.

 

[Biaxtar]

It could be a lot worse for the USA. They beat Paraguay this year and its not a guarntee that Turkey makes it out

 

[jncuse]

Wayne Gretzky embarrasses Canada.

 

[cusefan88]

Good enough draw for USA. Brazil Morocco will be most entertaining match of Group Stage.

France Senegal 2nd.

 

[upperdeck]

Its more than doable to get out as the #1 if they play well for sure

 

[HRE Otto IV]

They expanded too big IMO. A lot of weak teams.

That and making it 12 groups of 4. I don't see much drama in the group stages.

If they have gone to 8 groups of 6 it would have been a lot more interesting IMO. It is only 2 more matches for everyone, which I would think makes more $. Is making the World Cup one week longer to cover those two matches a big deal?




Edit

Format would be easy too. Each group gets two from UEFA, and one each from AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL

 

[CanadianSU]

No more group of death…

 

[HRE Otto IV]

I hadn't realized that 32 teams make the knockouts. I thought it was only 24. The group stage is such a waste now.

 

[IthacaMatt]

first go around group D vs group G who is topped by Belgium

Pot 2 is Australia #26 ranked. I dont think thats a bad draw for the US is it?

Pot 3 #39 Paraguay

so both teams we just played a beat

Funny Brazil has skipped all the next few picks due so conflicts and ended up with Scotland

I think the goal was to Avoid Norway and the one man machine.

Pot 4 winner of turkiye romania slovakia Kosovo

Turkiye? is actually pretty highly ranked for a Pot 4

Turkiye seems like the likely 4th member of the group. Not an easy game.

 

[IthacaMatt]

They expanded too big IMO. A lot of weak teams.

That and making it 12 groups of 4. I don't see much drama in the group stages.

If they have gone to 8 groups of 6 it would have been a lot more interesting IMO. It is only 2 more matches for everyone, which I would think makes more $. Is making the World Cup one week longer to cover those two matches a big deal?




Edit

Format would be easy too. Each group gets two from UEFA, and one each from AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL

Yes, there only seem to be 2 or 3 really competitive groups.

 

[Orangezoo]

So, FIFA has learned what everyone knows who has to deal with Donnie. Kiss up to him and the World Cup will go on without some stupid comment on his part.

The big kiss though will be at The Draw in the Trump/Kennedy Center which will feature
"----- the first annual FIFA Peace Prize to recognize “the outstanding contribution of those who work hard to end conflicts and bring people together in a spirit of peace.”
I wonder who the recipient will be??

The World Cup Is Coming to America—and It Has a Plan to Keep Trump Onside

https://www.wsj.com/sports/soccer/w...trump-d64b57ea?mod=Searchresults&pos=1&page=1

The theatrics of ego have no limits with this administration to make such an announcement so much about the President to the effect of this absurdity of a prize. FIFA is its own ego driven swamp but at least that’s typical. All I care about, as should any football fan is the draw and getting a good result being a host. Anyone trying to normalize this and consider its acceptable for such an outright effort to bribe and curry favor is off a cliff.

I’m probably going to sound like a euro snob when they react to American owners of big Euro clubs but get this gasbag away from the World Cup and staining it with all his political rants and self adulation.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

The theatrics of ego have no limits with this administration to make such an announcement so much about the President to the effect of this absurdity of a prize. FIFA is its own ego driven swamp but at least that’s typical. All I care about, as should any football fan is the draw and getting a good result being a host. Anyone trying to normalize this and consider its acceptable for such an outright effort to bribe and curry favor is off a cliff.

I’m probably going to sound like a euro snob when they react to American owners of big Euro clubs but get this gasbag away from the World Cup and staining it with all his political rants and self adulation.

Eh, Nobel peace prize = Super Bowl; FIFA peace prize = USFL championship. Nobody cares.

In four years, it will probably be given to Franco, Salazar and Mohammed VI. Or maybe Putin if he is thinking outside the box.

Infantino really stepped in it when he declared the US President had no jurisdiction over game locations.

I suspect this is to pacify Trump and keep him from upending the World Cup.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

And we get Paraguqy and also a top 25 team in the Pot 4.

Yeah, I don't think the draw is as easy as people make it out to be.

It could clearly have been much worse but it also could have been much better.

Getting Australia out of Pot 2 was a home run but Paraguay was, arguably, the second best team in Pot 3 and getting a Euro playoff qualifier instead of one of the minnows was not a good outcome either.

None of the three games will be easy.

You will see a very different Paraguay when the game actually means something.

Turkey, if they emerge from the playoff, made the quarters in the last Euros and has a lot of talent.

On home soil, we should, and frankly need to, advance but it is definitely not a cakewalk.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Yeah, I don't think the draw is as easy as people make it out to be.

It could clearly have been much worse but it also could have been much better.

Getting Australia out of Pot 2 was a home run but Paraguay was, arguably, the second best team in Pot 3 and getting a Euro playoff qualifier instead of one of the minnows was not a good outcome either.

None of the three games will be easy.

You will see a very different Paraguay when the game actually means something.

Turkey, if they emerge from the playoff, made the quarters in the last Euros and has a lot of talent.

On home soil, we should, and frankly need to, advance but it is definitely not a cakewalk.

Three points might be enough to get a team through. Four almost certainly.

 

[upperdeck]

We were never going to avoid a Euro though by rule. There had to be one in every group.

 

[Melancer46]

As someone that had given up on being able to see the US but was at least hoping to go see Australia with the in-laws, this drawing went as bad as it could lol. Real bummer. Now I guess I wait and see if tickets to see some of the lesser teams play come down to a reasonable price.

 

[NineOneSeven]

What are the groups?