FIFA 2026 World Cup Draw: U.S. Faces Paraguay in L.A. as All 12 Groups Are Announced

The United States will kick off the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Paraguay in Los Angeles, a highlight from the tournament’s official draw held Friday at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

The tournament will commence on June 11 in Mexico City with a Group A match featuring Mexico and South Africa. The U.S. team will debut on June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

The final match is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

This World Cup marks a historic collaboration among the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, expanding the tournament to a record 48 teams. A total of 104 matches will be played across 16 host cities over the span of 39 days, with Fox and Telemundo securing the U.S. broadcasting rights.

The U.S. appears to have drawn a favorable group, facing Paraguay alongside Australia and the winner of a March playoff featuring Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo. The U.S. will meet Australia on June 19 in Seattle, with the final group match occurring on June 25 back in Los Angeles.

Other prominent matchups include first-round games with England facing Croatia in Group L, France squaring off against Senegal in Group I, and defending champion Argentina starting against Algeria in Group J. Spain, the top-ranked team in FIFA standings, will open against Cape Verde, a tiny African archipelago making its debut in the tournament.

The draw event was marked by high-profile performances, featuring hosts Kevin Hart and Heidi Klum, along with musical guests like Andrea Bocelli, Lauryn Hill, and a lively rendition of “YMCA” by the Village People.

Political figures also played a role in the proceedings, with Donald Trump present to receive the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize and participating in the group allocation alongside Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The following are the 12 groups established during the draw, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage along with select third-place teams.

• Group A

  1. Mexico
  2. South Africa
  3. South Korea
  4. Denmark-North Macedonia/Czechia-Ireland winner

• Group B

  1. Canada
  2. Italy-Northern Ireland/Wales-Bosnia and Herzegovina winner
  3. Qatar
  4. Switzerland

• Group C

  1. Brazil
  2. Morocco
  3. Haiti
  4. Scotland

• Group D

  1. U.S.
  2. Paraguay
  3. Australia
  4. Türkiye-Romania/Slovakia-Kosovo winner

• Group E

  1. Germany
  2. Curaçao
  3. Côte d’Ivoire
  4. Ecuador

• Group F

  1. Netherlands
  2. Japan
  3. Ukraine-Sweden/Poland-Albania winner
  4. Tunisia

• Group G

  1. Belgium
  2. Egypt
  3. Iran
  4. New Zealand

• Group H

  1. Spain
  2. Cape Verde
  3. Saudi Arabia
  4. Uruguay

• Group I

  1. France
  2. Senegal
  3. Iraq/Bolivia-Surname winner
  4. Norway

• Group J

  

  1. Argentina
  2. Algeria
  3. Austria
  4. Jordan

• Group K

  1. Portugal
  2. New Caledonia-Jamaica/Congo winner
  3. Uzbekistan
  4. Colombia

• Group L

  1. England
  2. Croatia
  3. Ghana
  4. Panama