GroupA
4 teams
Czechia
Mexico
South Africa
South Korea
2026 World Cup groups
For the first time in history, the World Cup is played with 48 national teams split into 12 groups of 4 teams each (A through L). The top 2 from each group plus the 8 best third-placed teams advance to the Round of 32 — 32 teams total.
12
Groups
48
Teams
32
Advance to R32
72
Group stage matches
The 12 groups of the 2026 World Cup
Each team plays 3 group stage matches. Top 2 from each group advance to Round of 32. The 8 best third-placed teams also qualify — completing the 32 that fight for the trophy in the knockout bracket.
GroupB
4 teams
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Canada
Qatar
Switzerland
GroupC
4 teams
Brazil
Haiti
Morocco
Scotland
GroupD
4 teams
Australia
Paraguay
Türkiye
United States
GroupE
4 teams
Curacao
Ecuador
Germany
Ivory Coast
GroupF
4 teams
Japan
Netherlands
Sweden
Tunisia
GroupG
4 teams
Belgium
Egypt
Iran
New Zealand
GroupH
4 teams
Cape Verde
Saudi Arabia
Spain
Uruguay
GroupI
4 teams
France
Iraq
Norway
Senegal
GroupJ
4 teams
Algeria
Argentina
Austria
Jordan
GroupK
4 teams
Colombia
Congo DR
Portugal
Uzbekistan
GroupL
4 teams
Croatia
England
Ghana
Panama
How qualification works
Group stage is ranked by: 1) points (3 for win, 1 for draw, 0 for loss), 2) goal difference, 3) goals scored, 4) head-to-head result among tied teams, 5) fair-play, 6) drawing of lots. To learn how points are calculated in the prediction game with all this, check the PRODE rules.
Frequently asked questions
Which group is the USA in?
The United States is in Group D along with Türkiye, Paraguay and Australia. Both Canada (Group B) and Mexico (Group A) are the other host nations. See all matches in the full schedule.
Which group is England in?
England is in Group L along with Croatia, Panama and Ghana.
Which group is Argentina in?
Argentina, the reigning World Champion, is in Group J with Austria, Algeria and Jordan. It's the first World Cup where Argentina defends the title.
How many teams advance from each group?
The top 2 teams from each group (24 teams) plus the 8 best third-placed teams in the cross-group table advance to the Round of 32. Total: 32 teams in the knockout bracket. It's the first World Cup where third-placed teams have a real chance of qualifying.
How does the 12-groups × 4-teams format work?
Each group has 4 teams that play each other (3 matches per team). After the group stage, the knockout bracket starts with Round of 32 (32 teams), Round of 16 (16), Quarterfinals (8), Semifinals (4), Third place and Final.
How is the group order ranked?
By points (3 for win, 1 for draw). In case of tie: goal difference → goals scored → head-to-head among tied teams → fair-play → drawing of lots. To see how points are calculated in the prediction game using this ordering, check the PRODE rules.
When was the 2026 World Cup group draw?
The official group draw was in December 2025 at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., after the regional qualifiers and intercontinental playoffs.
Who are the host nations of the 2026 World Cup?
The three hosts (United States, Mexico and Canada) qualified automatically without playing qualifiers. Mexico started in Group A, Canada in Group B and the United States in Group D. See the 16 venues spread across the three host countries.