Dates, mode & changes
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The German national team wants to book its ticket for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico in the remaining international matches of the year against bottom team Luxembourg on November 14th (8:45 p.m./RTL) and Slovakia on November 17th (8:45 p.m./ZDF). Six points are mandatory for Julian Nagelsmann’s selection, after all valuable points were left behind at the start against group runners-up Slovakia. But what happens next in the case of successful World Cup qualification? How and when does the draw take place? Transfermarkt provides an overview.
When will the 2026 World Cup take place? And what changes?
Three and a half years after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a successor to the reigning defending champion Argentina is being sought. The World Cup will be the biggest final tournament in its history from June 11th to July 19th. With 48 instead of the previous 32 nations, the most participants have ever taken part in a World Cup. The number of matches increases from 64 to 104. For the first time there are also three hosts: the USA, Canada and Mexico. The game is played in 12 groups of 4 teams, after which the knockout system continues. The round of 16 will take place from June 28th to July 3rd, the round of 16 from July 4th to July 7th, and the quarterfinals from July 9th to July 11th, 2026. The semi-finals will take place on July 14th/15th, the final will take place on July 19th in New Jersey (USA).
When and where will the draw for the 2026 World Cup take place?
On Friday, December 5, 2025, the focus of the football world will turn to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. All group stage games will be drawn there. The US National Cultural Center welcomes millions of visitors each year to more than 2,000 events, concerts and exhibitions. The host teams are already seeded: Mexico in position A1, Canada in B1 and the USA in D1. After December 5th, not only all group opponents are known, but also the respective venues. The participating World Cup teams will be divided into four draw pots (with 12 teams each) according to their FIFA world rankings.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “We are pleased to host the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup draw at a venue considered the cultural and entertainment center of the United States: the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The draw represents a key milestone in the tournament and continues the impressive journey towards the greatest sporting event of all time.”
When and where can you watch the World Cup draw exactly?
The draw begins at 12:00 p.m. local time, i.e. 6:00 p.m. Central European Time (CET). The event will be broadcast in the three host countries and worldwide via FIFA’s official media partners. More information will follow soon.
Who has definitely qualified for the World Cup finals?
Qualification is still ongoing in all six confederations. So far, 28 out of 48 nations have definitely taken part.
Co-hosts: Canada, Mexico, USA
UEFA (Europe): England
AFC (Asia): Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan
CAF (Africa): Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
CONMEBOL (South America): Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
OFC (Oceania): New Zealand
At the time of the draw, only 42 of 48 teams will have qualified. The remaining six tickets will be awarded in playoff games in March 2026. For the exact procedure.
What is the composition of the participants for the 2026 World Cup?
AFC (Asia): 8 direct qualifiers and 1 playoff participant
CAF (Africa): 9 direct qualifiers and 1 playoff participant
CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean): 6 direct qualifiers and 2 playoff participants
CONMEBOL (South America): 6 direct qualifiers and 1 playoff participant
OFC (Oceania): 1 direct qualifier team and 1 playoff participant
UEFA (Europe): 16 direct qualifiers*
*There are also playoffs within UEFA qualification; However, the winners are officially considered direct qualifiers because there are also cross-confederation playoffs.
Where will the World Cup take place?
Canada: Toronto, Vancouver
Mexico: Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey
USA: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle
What happens if Germany doesn’t finish first in its qualifying group?
Even in second or third place in Group A, Germany can still qualify for the World Cup. But then the playoffs would have to be played again for the first time since 2001 – when Ukraine was defeated in the first and second leg. As second in the group, Germany would be among the four best teams in the playoff draw on November 20th in Zurich and could definitely play the first of two knockout games at home at the end of March 2026. Third in the group, a tough opponent would be waiting in the first round. As of now, Italy or Poland would be possible opponents in an away game. Germany secured the right to take this detour by winning the group in the Nations League last year as a World Cup parachute.
What significance does the world rankings have for the World Cup draw?
The world ranking is the criterion for the seeding list in the draw for the World Cup groups. It now seems certain: If Germany wins both games in the qualification, their pursuers Croatia and Morocco would no longer be able to overtake Germany in 10th place in the ranking. Since Italy may miss direct qualification, the DFB team would be one of the nine best-placed and certainly qualified World Cup teams in tenth place. Then you would be in the best draw pot, which will also include the three hosts USA, Mexico and Canada. Nagelsmann’s team would initially be spared a big chunk of the World Cup like Spain or Argentina – as would Mexico Group A with adverse logistics and extreme climate.