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The group draw for the 2026 World Cup has begun. Germany plays in Group E and will probably avoid late kick-off times. Like in 2020, the opening game is Mexico vs. South Africa. All World Cup groups at a glance – updated every minute.
7:54 p.m
The current status of the groups
As at the home World Cup in 2006, Germany will face Ecuador in the World Cup group phase. The second opponent is Ivory Coast.
One thing is also certain: The DFB team’s group games will all take place in the two eastern time zones of North America. German Group E plays in Houston, Kansas City, Toronto, Philadelphia and New York/New Jersey. Here the time difference to Germany is six to seven hours. If it’s 9 p.m. in Germany, it’s 2 p.m. in Houston and 3 p.m. in New York.
Group A
- Mexico
- South Korea
- South Africa
- Team from draw pot 4
Group B
- Canada
- Switzerland
- Qatar
- Team from draw pot 4
Group C
- Brazil
- Morocco
- Scotland
- Team from draw pot 4
Group D
- USA
- Australia
- Paraguay
- Team from draw pot 4
Group E
- Germany
- Ecuador
- Ivory Coast
- Team from draw pot 4
Group F
- Netherlands
- Japan
- Tunisia
- Team from draw pot 4
Group G
- Belgium
- Iran
- Egypt
- Team from draw pot 4
Group H
- Spain
- Uruguay
- Saudi Arabia
- Team from draw pot 4
Group I
- France
- Senegal
- Norway
- Team from draw pot 4
Group J
- Argentina
- Austria
- Algeria
- Team from draw pot 4
Group K
- Portugal
- Colombia
- Uzbekistan
- Team from draw pot 4
Group L
- England
- Croatia
- Panama
- Team from draw pot 4
These teams are still being drawn
- Draw pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, UEFA Playoff A, UEFA Playoff B, UEFA Playoff C, UEFA Playoff D, FIFA Playoff 1, FIFA Playoff 2
Draw pot before the draw for the group stage of the 2026 World Cup
6:33 p.m
The exact game plan won’t be available until tomorrow
At the end of the draw, teams will only know their opponents. FIFA will only announce the game plan tomorrow at 6 p.m. at another event in Washington DC. Only then will the teams find out the exact venues and kick-off times of their games. There will probably be game dates that are after midnight – and that could also affect the German team.
FIFA promises at least: “Care will be taken to ensure the best possible conditions for all teams and spectators and to offer fans worldwide the opportunity to follow their teams’ games live across different time zones.” FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani from Canada recently said: “Will every game be absolutely perfect in terms of kick-off time and TV coverage? I don’t know.”
The venues of the 2026 World Cup
6:17 p.m
These teams play in the playoffs
22 teams still have a chance of winning the last six World Cup tickets via the playoff detour.
- UEFA playoff A: Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales and Bosnia/Herzegovina
- UEFA Playoff B: Ukraine, Sweden, Poland and Albania
- UEFA Playoff C: Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo
- UEFA playoff D: Denmark, North Macedonia, Czech Republic and Ireland
- FIFA Playoff 1: DR Congo, New Caledonia and Jamaica
- FIFA Playoff 2: Iraq, Bolivia and Suriname
5:45 p.m
Media representatives probably won’t come in because of Trump
The Athletic reports that members of the media at the Kennedy Center, who had waited for hours in the freezing snow, are now being blocked by police and the Secret Service from entering the access roads to the media center. The reason given is that the areas are too close to the President’s imminent arrival for the World Cup draw.
According to The Athletic, they now find themselves in the bizarre situation where FIFA’s communications director is negotiating with security forces to allow access to frozen journalists.
5:01 p.m
A journey through time through the World Cup draws
The event begins in an hour at the Kennedy Center in Washington. There’s still enough time to look back at the draws of the last few decades.
World Cup draws – a journey through time
3:10 p.m
Height Safety precautions in Washington
Three hours before the start of the draw, a long line formed in front of the media entrance of the Kennedy Center in the snowfall. Sportschau reporter Philipp Sohmer reports on meticulous security checks by the Secret Service.