The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the biggest edition of the tournament yet, with 48 teams competing across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the expanded format bringing 12 world cup groups of four before the new Round of 32. This page covers the full group-stage draw, seedings, host cities and key matches to look out for, including England's Group L fixtures against Croatia, Ghana and Panama, and Scotland's Group C challenge alongside Brazil, Morocco and Haiti.
Read David Myers's ante-post selections and we will have a daily tipping guide by David Myers for every round of matches with the latest World Cup betting tips for England v Ghana available now.
Draw & Seedings
The draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026 took place in Washington D.C. on 5th December 2025. FIFA introduced a new seeding system for the tournament, meaning the top four seeds - based on the FIFA Men's World Ranking as of 19th November 2025 - would avoid each other until at least the semi-finals.
Those rankings are in parenthesis after the team name, with the four teams qualifying through the European playoffs and two via the inter-confederation playoffs, denoted by (Q##) and the host cities by (##*).
Since the draw, the top three ranked teams have swapped positions by narrow margins, with the current FIFA Men's World Ranking (as of 5th June 2026) being Argentina (1), Spain (2) and France (3), with France dropping from their top spot gained on 1st April 2026.
Groups & Host Cities
Below are the 12 groups that make up the FIFA World Cup 2026. The winners of each group will play either runners-up or third-place finishers of other groups in the Round of 32, taking place between 28th June and 3rd July.
| Group A | Mexico City, Zapopan (Guadalajara), Atlanta, Guadalupe (Monterrey) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico (15*) | South Africa (61) | South Korea (22) | Czech Republic (Q44) |
| Group B | Toronto, Santa Clara, Inglewood (Los Angeles), Vancouver, Seattle | ||
| Canada (27*) | Bosnia-Herzegovina (Q71) | Qatar (51) | Switzerland (17) |
| Group C | New Jersey, Foxborough (Boston), Philadelphia, Miami, Atlanta | ||
| Brazil (5) | Morocco (11) | Haiti (84) | Scotland (36) |
| Group D | Inglewood (Los Angeles), Vancouver, Seattle, Santa Clara | ||
| United States (14*) | Paraguay (39) | Australia (26) | Turkey (Q25) |
| Group E | Houston, Philadelphia, Toronto, Kansas City, New Jersey | ||
| Germany (9) | Curaçao (82) | Ivory Coast (42) | Ecuador (23) |
| Group F | Arlington (Dallas), Guadalupe (Monterrey), Kansas City, Houston | ||
| Netherlands (7) | Japan (18) | Sweden (Q43) | Tunisia (40) |
| Group G | Seattle, Inglewood (Los Angeles), Vancouver | ||
| Belgium (8) | Egypt (34) | Iran (20) | New Zealand (86) |
| Group H | Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Zapopan (Guadalajara) | ||
| Spain (1) | Cape Verde (86) | Saudi Arabia (60) | Uruguay (16) |
| Group I | New Jersey, Foxborough (Boston), Philadelphia, Toronto | ||
| France (3) | Senegal (19) | Iraq (Q58) | Norway (29) |
| Group J | Kansas City, Santa Clara, Arlington (Dallas), Philadelphia | ||
| Argentina (2) | Algeria (35) | Austria (24) | Jordan (66) |
| Group K | Houston, Mexico City, Zapopan (Guadalajara), Miami, Atlanta | ||
| Portugal (6) | Congo DR (Q134) | Uzbekistan (50) | Colombia (13) |
| Group L | Arlington (Dallas), Toronto, Foxborough (Boston), New Jersey, Philadelphia | ||
| England (4) | Croatia (10) | Ghana (72) | Panama (30) |
Key Fixtures
England and Scotland both face important tests in their respective World Cup groups, with each side looking to secure a place in the knockout stages. Below, you can find their group-stage schedules alongside some of the key fixtures that could shape the early stages of the tournament. All times are UK.
England's World Cup Group L Fixtures
- England vs Croatia - Wednesday 17th June 2026, Arlington (Dallas), 9pm (ITV)
- England vs Ghana - Tuesday 23rd June 2026, Foxborough (Boston), 9pm (BBC)
- Panama vs England - Saturday 27th June 2026, New Jersey, 10pm (ITV)
England's potential route to the World Cup Final
- Group stage: 11-27 June
- Round of 32: 28 June to 3 July
- Round of 16: 4-7 July
- Quarter-Finals: 9-11 July
- Semi-Finals: 14-15 July
- Third-Place Play-Off: Saturday 18 July
- Final: Sunday 19 July
Below is England's route to the final depending if Thomas Tuchel's side finish first or second in Group L. The potential opponents are based on results elsewhere go according to current odds/rankings.
| England Win Group | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| City | UK Time | Stage | Potential Opponents |
| Atlanta | Wednesday 1st July 2026 5pm | Round 32 | Group E/H/I/J/K 3rd |
| Mexico City | Monday 6th July 2026 1am | Round 16 | Mexico |
| Miami | Saturday 11th July 2026 10pm | Quarter-Final | Brazil |
| Atlanta | Wednesday 15th July 2026 8pm | Semi-Final | Argentina |
| New Jersey | Saturday 19th July 2026 8pm | Final | Spain |
| England Finish Second In Group | |||
| City | UK Time | Stage | Opponents |
| Toronto | Friday 3rd July 2026 00:00 (Thursday evening) | Round 32 | Columbia |
| Arlington (Dallas) | Monday 6th July 2026 8pm | Round 16 | Spain |
| Inglewood (Los Angeles) | Friday 10th July 2026 8pm | Quarter-Final | Belgium |
| Arlington (Dallas) | Tuesday 14th July 2026 8pm | Semi-Final | France |
| New Jersey | Saturday 19th July 2026 8pm | Final | Argentina |
Scotland's World Cup Group C Fixtures
- Haiti vs Scotland - Sunday 14th June 2026, Foxborough (Boston), 2am (BBC)
- Scotland vs Morocco - Friday 19th June 2026, Foxborough (Boston), 11pm (ITV)
- Scotland vs Brazil - Wednesday 24th June 2026, Miami, 11pm (BBC)
FAQs
When does the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage take place?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage will take place before the Round of 32, which is scheduled to begin on 28th June 2026. The group stage will decide which teams progress to the knockout rounds.
How many groups are there at the 2026 World Cup?
There are 12 groups at the 2026 World Cup, with four teams in each group. This follows the expansion of the tournament to 48 teams.
How many teams qualify from each World Cup group?
The winners and runners-up from each group will qualify for the Round of 32. The best third-placed teams will also progress, completing the line-up for the first knockout round.
Which group are England in at the 2026 World Cup?
England are in Group L alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama. Their group-stage matches are due to take place across Arlington (Dallas), Foxborough (Boston) and New Jersey.
Which group are Scotland in at the 2026 World Cup?
Scotland are in Group C with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti. Their group-stage fixtures are across two host cities Foxborough (Boston) and Miami.
How to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026
Full details of live coverage across the BBC and ITV, with the BBC broadcasting 54 matches live on TV and ITV initially airing 29 group-stage matches. The final will be shown live on both BBC and ITV.
World Cup Free Bets
Throughout the tournament, you can compare the best free bets and betting offers from top UK bookmakers for the World Cup 2026 and claim football betting bonuses, acca offers and enhanced odds.
Please note: The information provided by At The Races is for general informational purposes only. All information provided in good faith, however we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information.
