Dec 5, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Wayne Gretzky attracts the cardboard of Haiti for Group C through the FIFA World Cup 2026 Closing Draw at John F. Kennedy Middle for the Performing Arts. Obligatory Credit score: Amber Searls-Imagn Photographs
FIFA held the draw for the World Cup on Friday morning in Washington, setting the stage for subsequent summer time’s match. Whereas official sport schedules received’t be launched till Saturday, the draw units the teams of groups competing at subsequent summer time’s World Cup.
Right here’s what it means for Philadelphia
What’s the draw?
Friday’s draw slotted the 48 qualifiers – 42 of that are already set and 6 of that are nonetheless to return from intra- and inter-federation qualification in March – int0 teams.
There are 12 teams of 4 on the first expanded World Cup. Thirty-two groups advance from the group stage, with all group winners, runners-up and eight of 12 third-place groups. (It was once eight teams of 4 with solely group winners and second-place groups advancing to a Spherical of 16.)
The full outcomes of the draw are available here.
When does the match begin?
The match will open with Mexico internet hosting South Africa on June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico Metropolis.
Canada and america will open the match a day later, the U.S. taking part in Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Canada will host the survivor of UEFA qualifying Path A (Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy or Northern Eire) in Toronto.
The knockout spherical begins on June 28. July 4 begins the Spherical of 16. Quarterfinals shall be held July 9 in Foxborough, Mass., July 10 in Los Angeles; and July 11 in Miami and Kanas Metropolis.
Quarterfinals are July 15 in Arlington, Texas., and July 15 in Atlanta. The last is July 19 at MetLife Stadium.
What is Philly’s function?
Lincoln Monetary Subject will host six video games within the match, beginning June 14 with a Group E matchup. Areas of all matches shall be finalized on Saturday, however we are able to slim down the groups which may be right here.
The Philly video games:
- June 14: Match 9, Group E (Germany-Curacao or Ivory Coast-Ecuador)
- June 19: Match 29, Group C (Brazil-Haiti or Scotland-Morocco)
- June 22: Match 42, Group I (France vs. Bolivia/Suriname/Iraq or Norway vs. Senegal)
- June 25: Match 55, Group E (Ecuador-Germany or Curacao-Ivory Coast)
- June 27: Match 68, Group L (Panama-England or Croatia-Ghana)
- July 4: Match 89, between the winner of a Spherical of 32 sport that includes the winner of Group E and a 3rd-place crew in opposition to the Winner of Group I and a 3rd-place crew
The high seed in Group E, which can ship probably the most groups to Philadelphia, is Germany. The Germans received the match in 2014 and made the ultimate in 2002. Ivory Coast, certainly one of Africa’s high groups, joins them with Ecuador and Curacao, making its World Cup debut and the smallest nation by inhabitants ever to qualify for the World Cup.
Group C is led by Brazil, 5-time champion and 7-time finalist. It could be probably the most aesthetically pleasing of the teams by way of soccer high quality, with Morocco, Haiti and Scotland becoming a member of.
Group I is headed by France, the runner-up in 2022 and the champion in 2018 and 1998. Senegal is in there with Norway and an inter-confederation match winner that is Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq.
Group L brings England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama.
The video games are usually not the one attraction, as Philadelphia will host a Fan Fest in Lemon Hill that extends beyond the gamedays and thru the length of the match. It can embrace fan activations and watch events by means of the match.
What concerning the U.S.?
It’s extremely unlikely that the U.S. shall be in Philadelphia. However the U.S. received a fairly favorable draw. It’s in Group D, with Paraguay, Australia and a European crew. The latter would be the qualifier of UEFA Path C: Turkey, Slovakia, Romania and Kosovo.
The U.S. play their first and third video games at SoFi. In between is a visit to Seattle to tackle Australia.
In the event that they win Group D, they’d be in Santa Clara on July 1; A runner-up end lands them in Arlington, Texas, on July 3. They’re funneling towards Spherical of 16 video games in both Atlanta or Seattle.
