Morocco, which achieved an unprecedented feat in the previous edition in 2022 by reaching the semi-finals, has been placed in the second tier for the draw of the 2026 World Cup finals, scheduled for December 5, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) announced yesterday.
With less than 200 days to go before the start of the first edition to feature 48 teams, the procedures for determining the four tiers of teams that will compete in the 12 groups have been announced.
The draw will take place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 5 in the capital, Washington.
The host nations—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—have been placed in the first pot, designated for the top-tier teams, according to the latest men's world rankings released on November 19.
The four European teams that will qualify via the intercontinental playoffs will also be in the fourth pot (fourth tier), along with the two teams that will advance through the global playoff.
The first pot will include Canada, Mexico, the USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
Morocco will be in the second pot, alongside Croatia, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, and Australia. Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia will be in the third pot, along with Norway, Panama, Scotland, Paraguay, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, and South Africa.
Jordan, the other Arab representative to qualify for the finals for the first time in its history, will be in the fourth pot, alongside Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, and New Zealand, as well as the four teams that qualified through the European playoff and the two teams from the global playoff.
The draw ceremony will begin by drawing teams from the first pot into Groups 1 through 12, followed by the remaining pots in order: second, third, and fourth.
