England will open their 2026 World Cup campaign against Croatia, while Scotland have been drawn into a group with Brazil for next summer’s expanded tournament. Thomas Tuchel’s side begin on Wednesday 17 June in either Dallas or Toronto and will also face Ghana and Panama in Group L.
Scotland return to the men’s World Cup for the first time in 28 years, starting against Haiti on Saturday 13 June in Boston or New York. Their Group C fixtures also feature Morocco and five-time champions Brazil.
Wales or Northern Ireland could join hosts Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B if they advance through two rounds of UEFA play-offs in March. The Republic of Ireland, if they qualify, would be paired with Mexico, South Africa and South Korea.
The 48-team World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026 and will be staged across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Play-off line-up
UEFA and intercontinental play-off paths from the draw include:
– UEFA play-off A: Italy, Wales, Bosnia-Herzegovina or Northern Ireland
– UEFA play-off B: Ukraine, Poland, Albania or Sweden
– UEFA play-off C: Turkey, Slovakia, Kosovo or Romania
– UEFA play-off D: Denmark, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland or North Macedonia
– FIFA play-off 1: DR Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia
– FIFA play-off 2: Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname
Specific venues and kick-off locations for each team will be set in a separate draw scheduled for Saturday at 17:00 GMT, though a number of fixtures already have likely host cities. England’s match schedule after their opener currently points to a meeting with Ghana on Tuesday 23 June in Toronto or Boston, followed by the final group game against Panama on Saturday 27 June in Philadelphia or New York.
Scotland’s itinerary is expected to see the Haiti game on 13 June in Boston or New York, Morocco on Friday 19 June in Boston or Philadelphia, and the Brazil clash on Wednesday 24 June in Atlanta or Miami.
Mexico will host South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in the tournament’s opening match. The event will feature 104 matches across 16 host cities.
Seeding and format
For this edition FIFA applied special seedings for the top four ranked nations — Spain, Argentina, France and England — to ensure those sides cannot meet before the semi-finals, provided they top their groups. England, who finished as Euro 2024 runners-up, could meet the winner of Brazil’s group in the quarter-finals.
The 48 teams are arranged in 12 groups of four, drawn from four pots determined by FIFA rankings. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, joined by the eight best third-placed teams to form a 32-team first knockout round.
Scotland were drawn from pot three and will face Brazil and Morocco as they bid to reach the knockout phase; their meeting with Brazil will mark their fifth World Cup encounter with the South Americans.
Reactions
Tuchel described the draw as a tough one with a demanding opener. He noted Croatia and Ghana are experienced World Cup sides and said England will approach the group with full focus and aim to win it. Tuchel also reminded supporters not to underestimate Panama, who will embrace their underdog status.
Scotland manager Steve Clarke welcomed the draw, pleased his side avoided another European opponent and will test themselves against teams from three different continents. Looking ahead to Brazil, Clarke said the squad will try to bring a bit of magic to the occasion and embraced the historical echo of facing familiar group opponents from their last World Cup appearance in 1998.
The draw event
The draw ceremony in Washington DC ran for more than two hours and featured a range of high-profile presenters and performers. FIFA president Gianni Infantino described the 2026 World Cup experience for US viewers as like watching “104 Super Bowls in one month.” The ceremony included performances by Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and Lauryn Hill, and was hosted by Kevin Hart, Heidi Klum and Danny Ramirez.
Former England defender Rio Ferdinand conducted the draw, accompanied by sporting figures such as Tom Brady, Aaron Judge, Shaquille O’Neal and Wayne Gretzky. The three co-host nations had pre-assigned group positions to ensure their group matches would be played on home soil; representatives for the hosts drew their own nation’s ball to start the proceedings.
Next steps
A further draw will confirm exact match dates, kick-off times and venues for every fixture. With qualification and play-off outcomes still to be decided for several teams, the final group line-ups will be completed in the months ahead as the play-off matches resolve who fills the remaining slots.
