It was this Friday that the soccer world turned its eyes to FIFA’s broadcast of the draw for the Group Stage of the 2026 World Cup, which will take place next year between June 11 and July 19 in the United States of America, Mexico and Canada, promising to be an unprecedented sporting event, not only because of the record participation of 48 teams, but also because of the complex rules and special statutes that will determine each team’s path to the final.
Portugal and the other 47 qualified countries have already decided their fate, in one of the 12 groups of four teams each.
The draw step by step: who did Portugal get?
The 48 teams have been divided into four pots, and each of the 12 groups will feature one team from each pot. The draw started with Pot 1 (where the hosts are), followed by Pots 2, 3 and 4, and went like this:
Group A:
- Mexico
- South Africa
- Republic of Korea
- Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia or Northern Ireland
Group B:
- Canada
- Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Qatar
- Switzerland
Group C:
- Brazil
- Morocco
- Haiti
- Scotland
Group D:
- USA
- Paraguay
- Australia
- Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo
Group E:
- Germany
- Curaçao
- Ivory Coast
- Ecuador
Group F:
- Netherlands
- Japan
- Ukraine, Sweden, Poland or Albania
- Tunisia
Group G:
- Belgium
- Egypt
- Iran
- New Zealand
Group H:
- Spain
- Cape Verde
- Saudi Arabia
- Uruguay
Group I:
- France
- Senegal
- Iran, Bolivia or Suriname
- Norway
Group J:
- Argentina
- Algeria
- Austria
- Jordan
Group K:
- Portugal
- DR Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia
- Uzbekistan
- Colombia
Group L:
- England
- Croatia
- Ghana
- Panama
The calendar: when and where is the game?
Friday’s draw also determined the composition of the groups and the dates of each match. The teams were allocated to the groups in alphabetical order.
The opening match (??????? vs. ???????) will take place on June 11 at the legendary Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
The specific venues and times of all the tournament’s matches will only be revealed on Saturday at 5pm, with a new draw broadcast by FIFA. The only exceptions are groups A (Mexico), B (Canada) and D (USA), who already know the stadiums where they will play.
Article being updated
Don’t miss out! Follow us on Facebook,Instagram and now WhatsApp too!