World Cup 2026 Draw Verdict

The draw for the 2026 World Cup was made yesterday and there are some interesting games to look forward to when the tournament kicks off next summer.

This will be the biggest World Cup since it's inception as there will more teams taking part than usual and more games being played due to the change in format.

This is what I think of the draw.

The draw itself look very open as there is no group of death, some of the groups having just one clear favourite to reach the last 32 and a few of the groups having no clear favourite to finish top.

England will be more than happy with their group as they'll be facing Croatia, Ghana and Panama. Croatia will definitely be the tough game in their group as they still have a number of quality players in their side and this game will be a rematch of the 2018 semi final which Croatia went on to win. But England should still have enough to beat them and top the group as Croatia are not the side they once were.

Scotland on the other hand are in a tougher as they'll be facing Brazil, Morocco and Haiti. Brazil will of course be the favourites to win the group as they're the best team by some distance due to the quality of players they have. Morocco will likely be the favourites to finish second as they still have some quality players in their side. But Scotland will still fancy their chances of reaching the knockout stages as Morocco aren't the same team that reached the semi finals at the last World Cup and they should have enough to beat Haiti.

Holders Argentina have a fairly straightforward group as they'll be facing Algeria, Austria and Jordan. With the quality of players they have including Lionel Messi, they should win their group reasonably comfortably.

Germany also have a straightforward group as they'll be facing Curucao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador. They did disappoint at the last two World Cup's by going out in the group stages on both occasions, but they should avoid a repeat of that next year as the other teams in their group do not have the calibre of players that they have.

Holland have a fairly straightforward group as well as they'll be facing Japan, Tunisia and either Ukraine, Poland, Albania or Sweden. Japan have caused some surprises at previous World Cup's including the last one where they beat both Spain and Germany to finish top of their group. But the Dutch should still have enough quality to finish top of their group and qualify for the knockout stages.

Belgium should win their group without too many problems as they'll be facing Egypt, Iran and New Zealand. They might not be the team they were as a lot of their golden generation have moved on, but they still have some good players in their side and should win the group and qualify for the knockout rounds because of it.

Group I sees two of the best players in the world facing off against each other in Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland for France and Norway respectively. Those two should qualify from their group ahead of Senegal and either Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname.

Group H and Group K look set to be two horse races as they both have two clear favourites to reach the knockout stages. Group H should see Spain and Uruguay qualify ahead of Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia whilst Group K should see Portugal and Colombia finish above Uzbekistan and either DR Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia.

Group A, Group B and Group D look the most open and arguably the weakest groups in the tournament as there are no clear favourites to win those groups. All three groups contain one of the three hosts with Mexico in Group A taking on South Africa, South Korea and either Denmark, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland or North Macedonia, Canada in Group B facing Qatar, Switzerland and either Italy, Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Northern Ireland, and USA in Group D taking on Paraguay, Australia and either Turkey, Slovakia, Kosovo or Romania.

FULL WORLD CUP DRAW:

GROUP A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Denmark/Czech Republic/Republic or Ireland/North Macedonia

GROUP B: Canada, Italy/Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina/Northern Ireland, Qatar, Switzerland

GROUP C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

GROUP D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey/Slovakia/Kosovo/Romania

GROUP E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

GROUP F: Holland, Japan, Ukraine/Poland/Albania/Sweden, Tunisia

GROUP G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

GROUP H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

GROUP I: France, Senegal, Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname, Norway

GROUP J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

GROUP K: Portugal, DR Congo/Jamaica/New Caledonia, Uzbekistan, Uruguay

GROUP L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama