Tonight marks not just the group draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026, but the official start of a global football celebration, complete with a FIFA Peace Award and a red-carpet entertainment gala.

Football meets entertainment

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A historic World Cup with 48 participating teams. Photo: FIFA

Never before has a World Cup draw taken place on such a scale. From midnight (Hanoi time) on December 6, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., becomes the epicenter of the football world.

This is a historic edition of the tournament, featuring a record 48 national teams—more than ever before.

But this is far more than a draw. It's an Oscar-style production, described by FIFA as "the grand premiere of the biggest World Cup in history."

The stage will shine with co-hosts Heidi Klum and Kevin Hart, along with performances by Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams, and Nicole Scherzinger.

The hall will be filled with global sporting icons, including Tom Brady and Shaquille O’Neal.

As the Village People’s “YMCA” closes the night, Washington might feel more like a concert venue than the setting for a football event.

Beyond the entertainment, the night's most intriguing non-sporting moment is the presentation of the FIFA Peace Award, a newly established honor created by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, a personal friend of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

While FIFA has yet to announce the recipient officially, most already suspect the name that will be called.

Despite FIFA’s attempt to keep political overtones out of the event, the introduction of the Peace Award has added a layer of curiosity and controversy—blending seamlessly into the evening’s entertainment-heavy theme.

But eventually, the spotlight returns to football—specifically the 12 groups of World Cup 2026.

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The world awaits the World Cup 2026 group draw. Photo: FIFA

A new tournament, new rules

For the first time in history, the draw has been "lightly regulated" to ensure that the top four FIFA-ranked teams - Spain, Argentina, France, and England - are placed in separate brackets. This arrangement means they won’t face each other until the semifinals, provided all finish first in their groups.

This is a major departure from previous formats, akin to seeded brackets in tennis, and reflects FIFA’s ambition to craft a World Cup that is longer, more dramatic, and filled with high-stakes pathways. If Spain and Argentina both top their groups, they can only meet in the final.

A new World Cup in full color

World Cup 2026 will break all traditional norms: 48 teams, 12 groups, 104 matches in just 40 days. The group stage alone will feature 72 matches - more than a complete traditional World Cup.

Matches will be spread across 16 host cities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. On average, four games will be played per day. Toward the end of the group stage, this could increase to six matches in a single day.

It will be a true football festival, where fans can barely catch their breath between games.

Among the 48 teams, Spain - EURO 2024 champions and current FIFA number one with a 30-match unbeaten streak - is drawing the most attention.

For the first time in years, fans are saying, “Everyone wants to avoid Spain,” rather than the other way around.

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The draw balls for World Cup 2026. Photo: FIFA

Depending on playoff outcomes, Spain’s group could range from comfortable - featuring Austria, South Africa, and New Zealand - to a challenging mix with Croatia and Egypt or Ivory Coast. If Italy advances from the playoffs, they could also be grouped with La Roja.

Beyond Spain, all 47 other teams are watching anxiously. England is hoping to avoid Scotland, the U.S., and Australia.

Mexico wants to kick off its campaign at the legendary Estadio Azteca - where Pele (1970) and Diego Maradona (1986) once lifted the trophy.

The U.S. is targeting a deep run on home soil. Canada hopes its golden generation, led by Alphonso Davies, will make a strong impression. Giants like Brazil, Germany, and Portugal want to steer clear of potential "groups of death."

Mid-tier nations hope for magic. First-time participants carry dreams.

Tonight, millions of fans will watch as the draw unfolds, group by group. New rivalries will be born. Unprecedented matchups will be made.

New journeys begin. Dreams, fears, ambitions, and hopes all take shape in this single moment.

Before the first whistle in June next year, tonight’s draw is the beating drum that launches it all - the true beginning of World Cup 2026.

World Cup 2026 seeding groups

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, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, four UEFA playoff winners, two intercontinental playoff winners

Ngoc Huy