2026 World Cup draw time, date, channel, online live streams

The much-anticipated draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada is about to take place.

Many nations have already qualified to be among the 48 teams taking part, while others are still to be decided by play-offs.

The three co-hosts qualified automatically for the finals, in which Argentina will defend the title they won in 2022.

Here are the key details on the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw, including date, time, format and how to watch in the UK and US.

2026 World Cup: When is the draw?

The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held on Friday, December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.

What time is the FIFA World Cup draw?

The ceremony will start at 17:00 GMT, which is 12:00 ET or 09:00 PT.

2026 FIFA World Cup draw TV channel

In the UK, the draw will be broadcast live on the BBC.

In the US, FOX One will show the draw.

World Cup draw online live stream

Fans in the UK will be able to watch the draw on the move and on a vast variety of devices via BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App will stream the draw in the US.

World Cup 2026 draw format

Four pots will each contain 12 teams, with each group having one team drawn from each pot.

Pot one comprises the host nations and the nine top countries in FIFA’s rankings, while pots two, three and four are composed of the next-best ranked teams.

Apart from UEFA countries, international teams from the same confederation cannot be drawn in the same group. A maximum of two teams from UEFA will share the same group.

The tournament runs from June 11 until July 19 2026.

When is the draw for the 2026 World Cup playoffs?

The play-off draw took place on Thursday, November 20. Here are the UEFA fixtures, with each tie one-legged, the semi-finals scheduled for March 26 2026 and the finals held on March 31.

Path A

Semi-finals

Italy v Northern Ireland

Wales v Bosnia-Herzegovina

Final: Wales/Bosnia-Herzegovina v Italy/Northern Ireland

Path B

Semi-finals

Ukraine v Sweden

Poland v Albania

Final: Ukraine/Sweden v Poland/Albania

Path C

Semi-finals

Turkey v Romania

Slovakia v Kosovo

Final: Slovakia/Kosovo v Turkey/Romania

Path D

Semi-finals

Denmark v North Macedonia

Czech Republic v Republic of Ireland

Final: Czech Republic/Republic of Ireland v Denmark/North Macedonia

Who has qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

You can find the latest list of countries to have qualified on FIFA’s website.