World Cup 2026: Draw Date Set for December 5 in Las Vegas, USA

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will mark a historic moment in soccer history as it will be the first time the tournament is jointly hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This edition of the World Cup is set to take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, and will feature an expanded format with 48 teams competing, up from the traditional 32. However, as of now, the complete lineup of the 48 teams has not been finalized. So far, 13 teams have secured their qualification, which includes the three host nations—USA, Canada, and Mexico—who automatically qualify as hosts, along with 10 other teams that have already booked their places through qualifying competitions.

After all the qualifying matches are completed, the official World Cup draw ceremony is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, USA, on December 5, 2025. Multiple sources have confirmed this information to ESPN. Initially, there were discussions about holding the draw ceremony in various cities across Canada and Mexico. However, Las Vegas was ultimately chosen as the host city for this prestigious event. Pedro Cedillo, an executive from Mexican club Pachuca, who is involved in preparing his club for the World Cup training camp, mentioned the likelihood of Las Vegas hosting the draw ceremony. He stated, "December 5 (draw ceremony), if I’m not mistaken. The World Cup draw could be held on that day or in early December. I know that it will be in Las Vegas and we will have to be there to present information about Pachuca. We have two venues (for the World Cup) Hidalgo and (San Francisco)."

The United States previously hosted the World Cup in 1994, and that year, the draw ceremony was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Interestingly, ESPN reported that the same venue in Las Vegas has been booked for December 5, 2025, indicating a strong possibility that the draw event will take place there again. The Las Vegas venue is impressive, boasting a massive 54,000-square-meter screen and a seating capacity for 17,500 people. While the exact confirmation from FIFA regarding the venue has not yet been released, insiders strongly believe Las Vegas will host the ceremony once again.

The 2026 World Cup draw will feature 12 groups, each consisting of four teams. This structure reflects the new expanded format of the tournament, which allows for more teams and a broader representation of countries from across the globe. As of now, besides the three host countries—USA, Mexico, and Canada—several other teams have already qualified. These include football powerhouses and competitive teams such as Argentina, Japan, Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Jordan, New Zealand, Brazil, Ecuador, and Australia. These teams have either secured their places through continental qualifiers or were granted direct entries.

The qualification process for the remaining teams will continue up until the draw ceremony, when all 48 teams will be officially placed into their respective groups. This draw is a highly anticipated event because it sets the tone for the tournament and allows fans, players, and analysts to speculate on potential group stage matchups and rivalries.

The joint hosting of the World Cup by the United States, Canada, and Mexico represents a unique collaboration among North American nations, showcasing the growth and popularity of soccer across the continent. With venues spread across the three countries, the tournament promises to be a massive celebration of the sport, attracting millions of fans both in stadiums and worldwide through broadcasts.

In conclusion, the 2026 FIFA World Cup promises to be an unprecedented event with its expanded team format and the collaboration of three host nations. While only a handful of teams have qualified so far, the anticipation is building for the full list of participating countries and the official group draw in Las Vegas this coming December. Fans around the world are eagerly awaiting this historic tournament that will surely provide thrilling football action over more than a month of competition.