The 2026 World Cup draw takes place on Friday at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC and promises to be a star-studded event. Global icon Heidi Klum will host the show alongside comedian and actor Kevin Hart. The glitzy affair will also feature music and performances from Nicole Scherzinger as well as Robbie Williams, the Village People and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.
Get ready for the World Cup draw
Nations across the world will be watching on eagerly on Friday as the draw for the World Cup finals takes place in the United States. The expanded tournament means that 48 teams from across the world will feature and will discover who they will meet next summer in the tournament, which takes place across the United States, Mexico and Canada. FIFA president Gianni Infantino will once again be in attendance, with the draw scheduled to kick off at 9am local time / 12pm ET (5pm GMT) on Friday, December 5, 2025.
AdvertisementAFPKlum 'honoured' to host draw
Supermodel and global icon Klum is back to host the tournament after taking on duties in Germany back in 2006. The Emmy-winning television personality says it's an honour to host the draw.
“To be hosting the final draw again, after having been involved in this show 20 years ago in my home country, is truly extraordinary,” she said. “The World Cup brings the world together like nothing else, and being part of that magic again, on an even bigger stage involving three host countries and 48 teams, is an incredible honour.”
Actor and producer Danny Ramirez will also feature at the event, interviewing the football greats in attendance, and is thrilled to be involved. He said: "As someone who grew up playing football, getting to co-host the draw and meet and speak with World Cup legends at such a high-profile event is a dream. With this tournament coming to the United States, where I was born, and Mexico, where some of my roots lie, it is even more special – and I couldn’t be more excited to be part of this show.”
Scherzinger part of star-studded line up
Fans can also enjoy live performances from some big stars, including former Pussycat Doll Scherzinger. The American singer and Tony Award winner features on a bill that also includes British superstar and FIFA ambassador Robbie Williams and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Legendary act the Village People will also perform their global hit YMCA after the draw has taken place.
How does the draw work?
The World Cup draw will see 12 teams divided into four pots, with Pot 1 including all three host nations along with the top nine FIFA-ranked teams. The remaining three pots are decided by FIFA rankings. It's worth noting that there are still six qualification places to be decided, with play-offs set to take place in March, and all six of those teams have been placed in Pot 4.
The draw proceeds with one team taken from each pot. There is also an additional change for 2026, as the top four FIFA-ranked nations – Spain, Argentina, France and England – cannot face each other until the semi-final stage.
Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany.
Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia.
Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa.
Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, four European playoff teams, two intercontinental playoff teams.
