Following the much-hyped draw which was made at the Kennedy Centre, in Washington D.C., the 2026 FIFA World Cup will now kick off on June 11 with joint-hosts Mexico playing South Africa at the Azteca Stadium - iconic venue of the 1970 and 1986 finals - followed by South Korea against a playoff winner after the complex draw was finally made.

South Africa are appearing for the first time since 2010, when they drew with Mexico in the opening match but failed to reach the knockout stage. Co-hosts the United States and Canada will join the party the next day, against Paraguay and a playoff winner - possibly Italy - respectively in Los Angeles and Toronto.

Having been a previously 32-berth global Finals, the draw for the new, expanded 48-team tournament, with six berths still to be filled via a series of playoffs, was hugely complicated due to various geographical sub-clauses, but even the lengthy draw seemed short after an opening ceremony of over an hour.

For “quietly fancied” England, they have been drawn against bogey team Croatia, Ghana and Panama in the World Cup group stage. Thomas Tuchel was present in Washington DC on Friday as the Three Lions were handed a tricky trio of opponents at next summer’s finals during a lengthy ceremony spanning more than two hours.

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, European Playoff D

Mexico Head Coach, Javier Aguirre, said: "There are no small opponents, we mustn't get complacent, we have to work hard. We'll have to wait to find out who our European opponent will be. We'll be repeating our opening match (against South Africa) from 15 years ago and we'll have to be ready."

Group B: Canada, European Playoff A, Qatar, Switzerland

Jesse Marsch, Canada’s Head Coach, said: "I believe it's a group we can win and I would have said that no matter who was in the group because I believe in our team, I believe in the strength of our team, I believe in the confidence in our team and playing at home will be a big advantage.

"We're not going to (be) overconfident, we're going to be very realistic, we're going to stay focused, we're going to go about it in machine-like performances day in and day out like we have the whole time we have been together."

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

Steve Clarke, Scotland’s Head Coach, said: “One of the big things in my head was no European teams so we're playing three top sides from three different continents and that’s what the World Cup is all about. So I think it's a really good draw."

Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, European Playoff C.

U.S. Head Coach, Mauricio Pochettino, said: "My message to the players is Paraguay, Australia and the other team (playoff winner) is going to be difficult. We need to prepare like each game is the final of the World Cup. Thinking we should win before we play the games is the wrong mindset.

Group E: Germany, Curacao, Cote d'Ivoire, Ecuador

Curacao Head Coach, Dick Advocaat, commented: “It is a fantastic draw for Curacao. To play the opening match against a major football nation like Germany is of course wonderful. It is already so special to be on this stage with Curacao, and now we face three countries from different continents. All three teams are difficult opponents. We will see what it will bring us with Curacao. We will take it as it comes, but this draw is very good.”

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Fifa Playoff B

Ronald Koeman's Dutch side went unbeaten in World Cup qualifying and was keen to finish their campaign on a high. "Things won't go wrong anymore, so you can also look at player fatigue," he said.

"We want to be good in the World Cup, with good football and goals."

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, IR Iran, New Zealand  

 

Belgian Coach, Rudi Garcia did highlight that this might be the final major tournament for several top names, including Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, and Thomas Meunier. “I’ve always thought Belgium should have won a European Championship or a World Cup,” he said.

“They didn’t. So, this could well be the last chance.”

Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

After the long-drawn-out draw, a delighted Cape Verde Coach, Pico Lopes, said: “We are there to get out of the group.” For Spain’s coach, Luis de la Fuente, he said that his team must have a "win, win, win" approach and leave nothing to chance.

Group I: France, Senegal, FIFA Playoff 2, Norway

France Midfielder, Adrien Rabiot, said: "A fairly strong group, but as we know it’s a World Cup — the teams that are there deserve to be there, and we’ll have to fight to reach the next stage.

“We’ll need to be in good shape after a very long season, because the teams that will perform best will be those who are physically strongest." Norway Head Coach, Stale Solbakken, added: "We got a tough draw.

“France and Spain are the two best European teams, and Senegal, they have a good generation now. Of course, we can beat Senegal, and we can beat Bolivia, and we can on our maximum, maximum day take points from France. That's the attitude we need to have when we go into this here."

Senegal Head Coach, Pape Thiaw, added: “It’s always a pleasure to play against France. It’s a country we know well — for me, it’s my second home. Twenty-four years later, we face them again.

“In 2002, it went well for us. This will not be an easy match.

“We will be well prepared.”

Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

Lionel Scaloni, Argentina Head Coach, said: "We're going to give it our all and try to do what we did in the last World Cup, which is to give everything we can, not give up on any ball. That's what this team has been doing."

Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

Thomas Tuchel, England Head Coach, commented: “It's a difficult group and a difficult opening match against Croatia, they were the top seeds in pot two and Ghana from pot four is a regular in the World Cups and they have some of the best players like (Antoine) Semenyo and (Mohammed) Kudus playing in the Premier League with a lot of quality."

During the ceremony and despite FIFA’s insistence of being none-political, the U.S. President Donald Trump was presented with what was the inaugural ‘FIFA Peace Prize’ by world game’s Head, Giovanni Infantino. The United States will open festivities on June 12 against Paraguay in Los Angeles.