The United States will discover its first opponents for the 2026 FIFA World Cup during the draw in Washington, D.C. on December 5th. The draw will divide the 48 qualified teams into 12 groups, with the U.S. in Pot 1 and facing teams from Pots 2, 3, and 4. Potential opponents include experienced teams like Croatia and Morocco, along with newcomers through playoff qualifiers. The Final Draw will be broadcast on FOX 5 DC.
When the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place in Washington, D.C., the United States will finally learn its first opponents — and the possibilities include everything from world champions to tournament newcomers.
The best result in the history of the U.S. men’s national team at a FIFA World Cup came in 1930, when the squad reached the semifinals in Uruguay and is officially classified as having finished third.The draw will split all 48 qualified teams into 12 groups of four, with each nation drawn from one of four seeding pots. Because the U.S. is in Pot 1, it will face one team from each of the remaining three pots: Pot 2, Pot 3 and Pot 4.With that in mind, here’s who the U.S. could draw in D.C. on Dec. 5.Pot 2 is loaded with experience as several of these teams reached the knockout stage at the 2022 World Cup, including semifinalists Croatia and Morocco, along with Japan, Switzerland, South Korea, Australia, and Senegal, who all advanced beyond the group stage.Pot 4 features smaller nations and playoff winners, but recent tournaments have proven there are no easy matches at the World Cup.These are the nations that could qualify for the FIFA World Cup via the UEFA Play-offs or the Intercontinental Play-offs.The Final Draw will take place on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Coverage begins at 9 a.m. ET on FOX 5 DC.The results will determine the U.S. Men’s National Team’s path as it looks to make a deep run on home soil in 2026.
FIFA World Cup USMNT Draw Washington D.C. 2026
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
2026 FIFA World Cup: Japan is a dark horse to bet before the drawWe now know 42 of the 48 teams that will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which gets underway on June 11, 2026. And even though we won’t know the remaining six teams until the playoffs in Ma…
Read more »
USMNT-Capped Midfielder Aims for Mexico Switch to Crack 2026 World Cup RosterLedezma had two assists in his only USMNT appearance and is eligible for a one-time switch.
Read more »
Road to World Cup 2026: USMNT’s Five Best Players of the Week—RankedFrom the biggest matches in the world to an MLS Cup playoff upset, it was a busy week for USMNT stars with their clubs.
Read more »
Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Stunning Biological Age Ahead of 2026 World CupThe Portuguese phenom has scored 954 goals in his illustrious 23-year career.
Read more »
2026 World Cup Draw to Reward Top-Ranked TeamsThe 2026 World Cup draw will reward the top four teams — Spain, Argentina, France, and England — by placing them in separate sections of a new seeded bracket, preventing them from meeting until the semifinals. The draw ceremony will take place on December 5th in Washington, D.C. with 48 teams participating.
Read more »
FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw: The official pots, seeding and restrictions explainedc
Read more »