The FIFA World Cup draw is an event that comes around only once every four years – but it can do plenty to determine a football nation’s morale heading into the sport’s most prestigious global competition.

The 2026 tournament – to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico – features a record 48 teams, with this draw adding a few new tweaks to spread out the contenders from the pretenders.

Here is all you need to know before the all-important little plastic balls are allocated to their pots:

When and where is the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw?

The draw will begin at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on Friday, December 5, at 12 noon (17:00 GMT).

How does the World Cup draw work?

The draw will begin with Pot 1 and the 12 seeded teams, as determined

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