Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., U.S. - December 5, 2025 U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney pose for a picture with FIFA President Gianni Infantino after drawing their respective countries during the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw Pool via REUTERS/Dan Mullan
Dec 5, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents United States president Donald Trump with the FIFA Peace Prize during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., U.S. - December 5, 2025 Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney draws Canada during the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw REUTERS/Carlos Barria
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., U.S. - December 5, 2025 Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum draws Mexico during the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw REUTERS/Carlos Barria
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., U.S. - December 5, 2025 FIFA President Gianni Infantino, U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney during the draw Pool via REUTERS/Mandel Ngan
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., U.S. - December 5, 2025 General view inside the venue before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw REUTERS/Carlos Barria

WASHINGTON, Dec 5 (Reuters) - The 2026 World Cup draw got under way with a nod to the past on Friday and though the 42 nations assured of their slot had to wait over an hour to discover their opponents, they must wait another 24 to find out where and when they will be playing.

The ceremony began at 1700GMT with a "pre-draw" show opened by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli singing Nessun Dorma - the theme to the Italia '90 World Cup.

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino then presented a new peace prize to President Donald Trump in the name of the sport's world governing body.

Looking ahead to the expanded tournament, the biggest ever, Infantino said: "We have three beautiful countries, Mexico, Canada, and the United States. We have 16 wonderful host cities. We have 48 excellent teams who will compete in 104 matches to become the only, one and only, world champion.

"What an exciting summer from the 11th of June to the 19th of July that we will have here. This will be unique, this will be stellar, this will be spectacular."

A newly introduced seeding system ensures that the current top four in the world - Spain, holders Argentina, 2022 runners-up France and England - cannot meet until the semi-final stage if they win their groups.

The three host nations are all in Pot One of top seeds, along with the four above, Portugal, Brazil, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

At the other end of the scale, Pot Four includes debutants Cape Verde, Uzbekistan, Jordan and Curacao, which, with a population of 150,000, is by far the smallest nation ever to take part in a World Cup.

Once the groups have been decided, FIFA will get to work trying to optimise venues and kickoff times relating to the various worldwide TV markets - only the three host nations know their group-stage dates and venues, with Mexico due to play the opening match on June 11.

In many cases that will lead to afternoon kickoffs in high temperatures, with lip-service about player welfare being paramount ringing as true as it did last time the U.S. hosted the tournament in 1994 and had the Pasadena final kicking off at noon in 100-degree-plus (38 degrees Celsius) temperatures.

Venues and kickoff times will be announced in another globally broadcast event on Saturday, though even that is subject to adjustment in March once the six playoff qualification spots have been filled.

(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Ken Ferris and Christian Radnedge)