The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw was as dramatic as the Andrea Bocelli performance that opened the ceremony — revealing the fate of every nation for football’s biggest stage in the US, Canada and Mexico and a new peace prize.
The event was hosted by Comedian Kevin Hart and Heidi Klum, a German-American TV Personality, at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC, where FIFA president Gianni Infantino made the opening remarks describing the World Cup as ‘104 Super Bowls in one month’ for the Americans.
“Welcome in all the languages of the world, in the language of football, which is the language of passion. FIFA is the official happiness provider of humanity,” he said.
Here is what happened in the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw:
Who is in Australia’s group?
Former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand, along with broadcaster Samantha Johnson and sporting icons such as Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge, and Shaquille O’Neal, conducted the draw for 48 national teams, placing them in 12 different groups.
O’Neal drew Australia’s name for group D, meaning the Socceroos will be playing against one of the hosts, the US, and Paraguay.
The other team in the group will be the winner of Play-off C, a team between Turkiye, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo.
Based on numbers, World 14 FIFA ranking, the US will be the hardest team Australia is facing — the two have played twice since 2010, with the US beating Australia 3-1 in 2019, and Australia winning 1-0 in 2017.
Paraguay is also ranked 39 in the FIFA ranking.
The group D venues are SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area, BC Place in Vancouver and Lumen Field in Seattle.
Full group draw revealed
- Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Winner of Play-off D
- Group B: Canada, Winner of Play-off A, Qatar, Switzerland,
- Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
- Group D: The US, Paraguay, Australia, Winner of Play-off C
- Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
- Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Winner of Play-off C, Tunisia
- Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
- Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
- Group I: France, Senegal, Winner of Play-off 2, Norway
- Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
- Group K: Portugal, Winner of Play-off 1, Uzbekistan, Colombia
- Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
Trump winning the controversial ‘2025 FIFA peace prize’
The event, however, was not just about football, as Infantino presented the newly introduced FIFA Peace Prize to the US President Donald Trump.
Infantino said the award is presented by “billions of football lovers” around the world, and they give the award to Trump for his “actions to provide peace around the world”.
Infantino said: “This is what we want from a leader, a leader that cares about the people. We want to live in a safe world, in a safe environment … and you definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize.”
“I’ve known Johnny for so long. He’s done such an incredible job and I have to tell you, you’ve set new records on ticket sales and not to bring that up because we don’t want to bring a thing like that up right now,” Trump said. Source: AP / Chris Carlson/AP
The prize was announced in early November and has since raised questions about whether Trump will be its first recipient.
Trump and Infantino are known to have a close relationship.
Infantino has supported Trump’s nomination for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, and he was the unexpected guest of the Egypt Peace Summit, being invited personally by Trump.
After receiving the FIFA Peace Prize, Trump said: “This is truly one of the great honours of my life and beyond.”
“The world is a safer place now … Now I have to say we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world and we’re going to keep it that way,” he said.
The event also had a non-football-related surprise when Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum and the US President Donald Trump shared the stage for the first time to start the draw.
How to watch the World Cup?
The first match will be played between Mexico and South Africa on 11 June, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, and the tournament will be determined on 19 July, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
You can watch all 104 games of the FIFA World Cup 26™ Live, free and exclusive on SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand, next year.
