How does World Cup draw work? 2026 FIFA format and pots explained

Follow theWorld Cup draw with live updatesand find out who the USMNT and soccer's best will be facing during the 2026 tournament.

TheFIFA World Cup drawon Friday, Dec. 5 will reveal the groups and bracket for the 2026tournament in North America, with some new procedures in place as the field expands to 48 teams.

The 12 groups will be drawn from four pots based on the world rankings with the USA, Mexico and Canada placed in the first group as the tournament's co-hosts, theoretically clearing an easier path out of the group stage.

Additionally, the top four teams – Spain, Argentina, France and England – will be separated so that they cannot meet until the semifinals.

The World Cup kicks off on June 11 with the final set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Here's what to expect from Friday's draw:

Brazil – 23rd appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> United States of America – 12th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mexico – 18th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> England – 17th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Portugal – ninth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> France – 17th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Spain – 17th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Iran – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Switzerland – 13th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Croatia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Australia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Morocco – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Austria – eighth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ecuador – fifth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Senegal – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> South Korea – 12th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Japan – eighth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Colombia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Netherlands – 12th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Germany – 21st appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Belgium – 15th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Canada – third appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Saudi Arabia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Uzbekistan – first appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jordan – first appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Tunisia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> South Africa – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ivory Coast – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Scotland – ninth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Algeria – fifth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> New Zealand – third appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Paraguay – ninth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Egypt – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Cape Verde – first appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Qatar – second appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Norway – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Panama – second appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Curacao – first appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ghana – fifth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Haiti – second appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the field so far

Brazil– 23rd appearance

How does World Cup draw work? Format explained

Entering the draw, the 48 teams – 42 already clinched – are placed into four pots of 12 based on the November FIFA world rankings. The final six countries are in the fourth pot by default, no matter who ends up qualifying.

As the co-hosts, the USA, Canada and Mexico were placed into the first pot by default with the tournament's nine highest-ranked teams.

Other than Europe (16 places), no continental federation may have more than one team in each group.

FIFA modified the draw for 2026 to create separate pathways to the semifinals for the four-highest ranked teams: Spain, Argentina, France and England. That means if Spain and Argentina win their groups, the world's Nos. 1 and 2 teams can not meet prior to the final.

World Cup draw pots

• Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany

• Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia

• Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa

• Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, UEFA playoff A, B, C and D, FIFA playoff tournament 1 and 2

2026 World Cup: 20 players who will get you out of your seat

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:How does World Cup draw work? 2026 FIFA format, qualified teams, pots

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December 05, 2025

How does World Cup draw work? 2026 FIFA format and pots explained

Follow theWorld Cup draw with live updatesand find out who the USMNT and soccer's best will be facing during the 2026...

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Immigration crackdown in New Orleans has a target of 5,000 arrests. Is that possible?

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Trump administration officials overseeing the immigration crackdownlaunched this weekin New Orleans are aiming to make 5,000 arrests, a target that some city leaders who oppose the operation say is unrealistic and would require detainining more than just violent offenders.

It's an ambitious goal that would surpass the number of arrests during a two-month enforcement blitz this fall aroundChicago, a region with a much bigger immigrant population than New Orleans. Records tracking the first weeks of the Chicago operation also showed most arrestees didn't have a violent criminal record.

In Los Angeles —the first major battlegroundin President Donald Trump's aggressiveimmigration plan— roughly 5,000 people were arrested over the summer in an area where about a third of LA County's roughly 10 million residents are foreign-born.

"There is no rational basis that a sweep of New Orleans, or the surrounding parishes, would ever yield anywhere near 5,000 criminals, let alone ones that are considered 'violent' by any definition," New Orleans City Council President J.P. Morrell said Thursday.

Census Bureau figures show the New Orleans metro area had a foreign-born population of almost 100,000 residents last year, and that just under 60% were not U.S. citizens.

"The amount of violent crime attributed to illegal immigrants is negligible," Morrell said, pointing out that crime in New Orleans is at historic lows.

Violent crimes, including murders, rapes and robberies, have fallen by 12% through October compared to a year ago, from a total of 2,167 violent crimes to 1,897 this year, according to New Orleans police statistics.

A flood of messages about arrests

Federal agents in marked and unmarked vehicles began spreading out across New Orleans and its suburbs Wednesday, making arrests in home improvement store parking lots and patrolling neighborhoods with large immigrant populations.

Alejandra Vasquez, who runs a social media page in New Orleans that reports the whereabouts of federal agents, said she has received a flood of messages, photos and video since the operations began.

"My heart is so broken," Vasquez said. "They came here to take criminals and they are taking our working people. They are not here doing what they are supposed to do. They are taking families."

Several hundred agents from Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are participating in the two-month operation dubbed "Catahoula Crunch."

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is from Louisiana, is among the state's Republicans supporting the crackdown. "Democrats' sanctuary city policies have failed — making our American communities dangerous. The people of our GREAT city deserve better, and help is now on the ground," Johnson posted on social media.

Operation is being met with resistance

About two dozen protesters were removed from a New Orleans City Council meeting Thursday after chants of "Shame" broke out. Police officers ordered protesters to leave the building, with some pushed or physically carried out by officers.

Planning documentsobtained last month by The Associated Press show the crackdown is intended to cover southeast Louisiana and into Mississippi.

Homeland Security Department spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said agents are going after immigrants who were released after arrests for violent crimes.

"In just 24 hours on the ground, our law enforcement officers have arrested violent criminals with rap sheets that include homicide, kidnapping, child abuse, robbery, theft, and assault," McLaughlin said Thursday in a statement. Border Patrol and immigration officials have not responded to requests for details, including how many have been arrested so far.

She told CNN on Wednesday that "we will continue whether that will be 5,000 arrests or beyond."

Immigration arrests go beyond violent criminals

To come close to reaching their target numbers in New Orleans, immigrant rights group fear federal agents will set their sights on a much broader group.

New Orleans City councilmember Lesli Harris said "there are nowhere near 5,000 violent offenders in our region" whom Border Patrol could arrest.

"What we're seeing instead are mothers, teenagers, and workers being detained during routine check-ins, from their homes and places of work," Harris said. "Immigration violations are civil matters, not criminal offenses, and sweeping up thousands of residents who pose no threat will destabilize families, harm our economy."

During the"Operation Midway Blitz"crackdown in Chicago that began in September, federal immigration agents arrested more than 4,000 people across the city and its many suburbs, dipping into Indiana.

Homeland Security officials heralded efforts to nab violent criminals, posting dozens of pictures on social media of people appearing to have criminal histories and lacking legal permission to be in the U.S. But public records tracking the first weeks of the Chicago push show most arrestees didn't have a violent criminal record.

Of roughly 1,900 people arrested in the Chicago area from early September through the middle of October — the latest data available — nearly 300 or about 15% had criminal convictions on their records, according to ICE arrest data from the University of California Berkeley Deportation Data Project analyzed by The Associated Press.

The vast majority of those convictions were for traffic offenses, misdemeanors or nonviolent felonies, the data showed.

New Orleans, whose international flavor comes from its long history of French, Spanish, African and Native American cultures, has seen a new wave of immigrants from places in Central and South America and Asia.

Across all of Louisiana, there were more than 145,000 foreign-born noncitizens, according to the Census Bureau. While those numbers don't break down how many residents of the state were in the country illegally, the Pew Research Center estimated the number at 110,000 people in 2023.

This story has been corrected to show that about a third of LA County's 10 million residents are foreign-born, not 10 million total.

Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press journalists Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Sophia Tareen in Chicago; Aaron Kessler in Washington, D.C.; and Michael Schneider in Orlando, Florida, contributed.

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December 05, 2025

Immigration crackdown in New Orleans has a target of 5,000 arrests. Is that possible?

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Trump administration officials overseeing the immigration crackdownlaunched this weekin New Orleans ar...

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Navy finds 'substandard' practices, knowledge and other failures caused carrier incidents

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy on Thursday released the results of its investigation into four incidents involving the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group during its deployment to the Middle East in late 2024 through earlier this year.

The incidents, which occurred between December 2024 and May 2025, involved the loss of three F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets in the Red Sea and a collision between the carrier and a merchant vessel near Port Said, Egypt.

The investigation found that a trip wire failure, poor computer signaling, "substandard maintenance practices" and "overall low-level knowledge" among some of the carrier group's personnel contributed to the incidents, according to the report on the investigation. In December 2024, an accidental "friendly fire" incident involving two F/A-18s, where one was downed and the other was nearly missed, appeared to have occurred in part because of faulty combat systems, the report said.

In April 2024, a fighter jet and a tow tractor were lost because of a maneuver the carrier made to try to avoid incoming fire from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, the report said.

As a result of the findings, the Navy is reviewing some systems and operations and will conduct more personnel training to try to prevent such incidents, according to the recommendations made in the investigation findings.

"The Navy is committed to being a learning organization," the vice chief of naval operations, Adm. Jim Kilby, said in a written statement provided by the Navy.

The Navy has said there were no personnel casualties or major injuries related to the incidents.

The Navy's report said its investigation found that a December 2024 "friendly fire" incident involving the shooting down of an F/A-18F Super Hornet by the USS Gettysburg, a guided-missile cruiser, was caused by a "lack of integrated training opportunities between USS Gettysburg and the Carrier Strike Group, lack of forceful backup on the cruiser, and lack of cohesion across the Carrier Strike Group."

That lack of cohesion "contributed to the misidentification, and subsequent engagement, of the friendly aircraft and near miss of another," the report said.

"The investigation for the F-18 loss in December 2024 was determined that a lack of reintegrated training opportunities between the USS Gettysburg and the Carrier Strike Group contributed to the misidentification and subsequent engagement of the US Navy aircraft," Kilby said. "This was manifested through not following procedures, lack of forceful backup on the cruiser and lack of cohesion across Strike Group units."

Before the incident, the Truman had spent "several hours" defending against Houthi-launched anti-ship cruise missiles and one-way attack drones, the report said.

The investigation also found that the USS Truman's February 2025 collision with a merchant vessel was "avoidable," according to the report. The team aboard the Truman failed to safely navigate past the vessel.

In addition, an April 2025 incident involving the loss of an F/A-18E Super Hornet and tow tractor was due to evasive maneuvers that the Truman took while responding to an incoming ballistic missile in the Red Sea, the report said. The investigation determined the aircraft brake system failed, in addition to "insufficient communication between the bridge, flight deck control, and hangar bay control."

The investigation also found that a May 2025 incident involving another F/A-18 was caused by a failure of the trip wire aboard the USS Truman. Among the reasons, according to the report, were "substandard maintenance practices, substandard arresting gear, leadership and overall low-level knowledge" among the personnel operating the trip wire.

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December 05, 2025

Navy finds 'substandard' practices, knowledge and other failures caused carrier incidents

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy on Thursday released the results of its investigation into four incidents involving the USS Harry S. Truman carr...

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Somalis arrested in Minneapolis immigration operation, officials say

By Heather Schlitz and Andrew Hay

MINNEAPOLIS - People of Somali origin are among those arrested in an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, federal officials said on Thursday, two days after President ​Donald Trump hurled insults at immigrants from the Horn of Africa country and said he ‌wanted them out of the United States.

The Minneapolis arrests began on Monday, the Department of Homeland Security said in its first statement ‌on the operation. Officials did not give a total arrest figure but gave profiles of 12 people apprehended, five of them from Somalia, the rest from Mexico and El Salvador.

In the statement, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin portrayed them all as dangerous criminals with convictions ranging from fraud and vehicle theft to criminal sexual conduct ⁠and driving under the influence.

Minneapolis Mayor ‌Jacob Frey, a Democrat, has strongly criticized Trump's attacks on the city's Somali population and on Thursday called on Americans to "love and respect" Minnesota's Somali immigrant community, which ‍is the largest in North America.

Trump's racist rhetoric against Somalis, and attacks on Minnesota politicians who defend them, has been applauded by his allies. On Tuesday, during a televised cabinet meeting, he reacted to reports of government fraud among ​pockets of Minnesota's large Somali population by calling immigrants there "garbage" and saying he wanted them sent "back to ‌where they came from."

Anti-immigration rhetoric was a major part of Trump's campaign. Since taking office in January he has overseen aggressive operations by masked federal agents across the country in a bid to drive deportations to record levels. Along the way, Trump's public language when speaking about immigrants has grown harsher.

CRACKDOWN IN NEW ORLEANS

Also on Thursday, federal officials said they had arrested dozens of people in New Orleans, another Democratic-run city.

On day ⁠two of the New Orleans operation, protesters disrupted a city ​council meeting to demand councillors declare city property "ICE Free" zones where ​federal immigration agents could not stage operations.

Protesters accused federal agents of indiscriminately targeting people of color, including U.S. citizens, with no criminal record, an allegation the Department of Homeland ‍Security denies.

New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena ⁠Moreno said in a statement on Wednesday the operation had created a culture of fear among the city's most vulnerable residents.

"We must do what we can to protect New Orleans and ensure ⁠due process is followed for all of our residents," she said, announcing an online portal for citizens to report abuse from ‌federal immigration officers.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, has supported federal immigration enforcement efforts.

(Reporting by ‌Andrew Hay; Editing by Donna Bryson and Stephen Coates)

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December 05, 2025

Somalis arrested in Minneapolis immigration operation, officials say

By Heather Schlitz and Andrew Hay MINNEAPOLIS - People of Somali origin are among those arrested in an immigrati...

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High-flying Aston Villa and Unai Emery present latest challenge to Arsenal's title credentials

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Aston Villa is the form team in the Premier League and on Saturday presents the latest test toArsenal's title credentials.

An added element of intrigue is another reunion between Unai Emery and Arsenal, whichfired the Spanish coachin 2019 after he'd overseen its worst run of results in 27 years.

"For what they've been doing, the way they've been playing and winning matches, certainly it's a team that is in great form and we know that," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. "We know obviously the manager and the incredible job he's done there as well, so we know the task tomorrow."

Emery has long since restored his reputation after leaving Arsenal, winning the Europa League for a third time in his career, with Villarreal. His return to England has underlined his status as one of the elite coaches in Europe, transforming Villa from a relegation-fighting team to a serial contender for Champions League qualification.

Villa is punching above its weight again this term and is up to third in the standings after eight wins from its last nine league games.

A win against first-place Arsenal at Villa Park would cut its gap to the leader to three points.

"I think when you look at Unai, his career, his motivation level, everywhere he's been an impact that he's done, it's all been remarkable," Arteta said.

Such heady heights hardly looked possible after Emery's team started the season without a win in its first five games after a frustrating transfer window that relied on deadline-day loan deals for Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott to bolster the squad.

Villa, a Champions League quarterfinalist last season, lost two of its first three league games and was also knocked out of the League Cup.

It seemed the remarkable rise under Emery, who was hired in 2022 with the club one place above the relegation zone, was at risk of hitting the wall. But the coach has confounded expectations again and has been shortlisted for Premier League manager of the month for November.

Arsenal is five points clear at the top, ahead of second-place Manchester City. It is unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions, dating back to September, but has drawn its last two away games at Sunderland and Chelsea.

Key matchups

City, meanwhile, is at home to a Sunderland team that held Liverpool to a 1-1 draw at Anfield midweek.

Liverpool's latest test after just two wins in nine league games comes at Leeds, which stunned Chelsea last time out by winning 3-1 at Elland Road.

Chelsea is at Bournemouth on Saturday after failing to win its last two games in the league.

Players to watch

Will Mohamed Salah start after being dropped for Liverpool's last two games? He came off the bench against Sunderland, but still couldn't inspire his team to a much-needed win.

Matheus Cunha returns to Wolverhampton with new club Manchester United on Monday. The Brazil international returned from injury for the 1-1 draw with West Ham on Thursday and this would be his first game against Wolves since leaving the club in the summer.

Out of action

Arsenal is waiting to see if Declan Rice will be available after he limped off during the win against Brentford midweek. Cristhian Mosquera is a doubt with an ankle problem and William Saliba has been out for two games with an unspecified injury.

Sandro Tonali faces a late test to see if he will be available for Newcastle after taking a knock in the 2-2 draw against Tottenham.

Off the field

Thomas Frank faces former club Brentford, with his Tottenham team in desperate need of turning its home form around.

Spurs have gone six league games without a win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with its only victory coming against Burnley on the opening day of the season.

Frank's position as manager is coming under scrutiny, with his team's home form particularly concerning.

James Robson is athttps://x.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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December 05, 2025

High-flying Aston Villa and Unai Emery present latest challenge to Arsenal's title credentials

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Aston Villa is the form team in the Premier League and on Saturday presents the latest test to...

Read More