The footballing world turns its gaze to Washington D.C. this week as the highly anticipated draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place. With a record 48 teams set to compete across North America next summer, fans from England and Scotland are eagerly awaiting to discover their nations' group stage fate.
When and How to Watch the 2026 World Cup Draw
The pivotal draw ceremony is scheduled for Friday, 5 December 2025. Proceedings will begin at 12pm local time in Washington D.C., which is 5pm in the UK. For British viewers, the event will be broadcast live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. A global audience can also tune in via a free live stream on FIFA.com and FIFA's official YouTube channel.
The draw will be held at the prestigious Kennedy Center, a venue more accustomed to opera and orchestral performances. FIFA President Gianni Infantino will be joined by US President Donald Trump, who is expected to receive a new 'FIFA Peace Prize'. Delegations from the English and Scottish Football Associations will attend, though Iran will boycott after their federation president was denied a visa.
Understanding the Draw: Pots, Seeds and a New System
The 48 qualified teams have been divided into four pots of twelve teams each, based on FIFA rankings. England, as one of the top seeds, are in Pot 1, alongside reigning champions Argentina, hosts USA, Mexico, and Canada, plus other football powerhouses like Spain, France, and Brazil. Scotland have been allocated a place in Pot 3 following their dramatic qualification last month.
A significant change for this tournament is the introduction of a tennis-style seeding system. This ensures the top two ranked teams, Spain and Argentina, are placed on opposite sides of the draw, as are the third and fourth-ranked sides, France and England. This strategic placement means if these four nations win their groups, they cannot meet until the semi-finals at the earliest. Consequently, England would avoid both Spain and Argentina until a potential semi-final clash, and could only face France in the final.
Confirmed World Cup Draw Pots:
- 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, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, plus the four European play-off winners and two inter-confederation play-off winners.
Potential British Clashes and Tournament Logistics
Due to their placement in different pots, England and Scotland could be drawn in the same group. However, FIFA rules state a maximum of two European teams can be in one group. Therefore, if England were drawn with another European side from Pot 2, Scotland could not join them.
Other home nations still have a path to the tournament. Northern Ireland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland are all involved in the European play-offs in March 2026. Any that qualify would enter Pot 4, setting up a potential group-stage clash with either England or Scotland. Notably, only one of Wales or Northern Ireland can qualify as they are in the same play-off path.
The 2026 World Cup, the largest ever, begins on 11 June 2026 with hosts Mexico playing in Mexico City. To minimise travel across the vast North American continent, the 16 host stadiums are grouped into three regions: Western, Central, and Eastern. Each team will play all their group matches within one region. England's exact fixtures and region will be revealed on Friday, plotting their potential route to the final at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium on 11 July 2026.
