TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 18: A group of USA fans show support for Team USA during the international friendly match between the Uruguay Men's national team and the United States of America Men's national team on November 18, 2025 at Raymond James Stadium …
WASHINGTON, D.C. - When the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place in Washington, D.C., the United States will finally learn its first opponents — and the possibilities include everything from world champions to tournament newcomers.
The best result in the history of the U.S. men’s national team at a FIFA World Cup came in 1930, when the squad reached the semifinals in Uruguay and is officially classified as having finished third.
The FIFA World Cup Draw
The draw will split all 48 qualified teams into 12 groups of four, with each nation drawn from one of four seeding pots. Because the U.S. is in Pot 1, it will face one team from each of the remaining three pots: Pot 2, Pot 3 and Pot 4.
Under FIFA rules:
- Teams from the same confederation can’t share a group (except Europe, which can have two teams per group).
- That means the U.S. cannot be drawn against Canada, Mexico, Panama, Curaçao, or Haiti, as they’re all from CONCACAF.
With that in mind, here’s who the U.S. could draw in D.C. on Dec. 5.
TAMPA, FL - NOVEMBER 18: The United States of America Men's National Team pose together before the international friendly match between the Uruguay Men's national team and the United States of America Men's national team on November 18, 2025 at Raymo …
What teams could the United States face?
From Pot 2:
- Croatia
- Morocco
- Colombia
- Uruguay
- Switzerland
- Japan
- Senegal
- IR Iran
- Korea Republic
- Ecuador
- Austria
- Australia
Pot 2 is loaded with experience as several of these teams reached the knockout stage at the 2022 World Cup, including semifinalists Croatia and Morocco, along with Japan, Switzerland, South Korea, Australia, and Senegal, who all advanced beyond the group stage.
From Pot 3:
- Norway
- Egypt
- Algeria
- Scotland
- Paraguay
- Tunisia
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Uzbekistan
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
(Panama is excluded because it’s also from CONCACAF.)
From Pot 4:
- Jordan
- Cabo Verde
- Ghana
- New Zealand
- European Play-Off A winner
- European Play-Off B winner
- European Play-Off C winner
- European Play-Off D winner
- FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 winner
- FIFA Play-Off Tournament 2 winner
(Haiti and Curaçao are excluded because they’re also from CONCACAF.)
Pot 4 features smaller nations and playoff winners, but recent tournaments have proven there are no easy matches at the World Cup.
These are the nations that could qualify for the FIFA World Cup via the UEFA (European) Play-offs or the Intercontinental Play-offs.
EXAMPLE DRAW FOR THE UNITED STATES
- POT 1: United States (USA)
- POT 2: Japan (JPN)
- POT 3: Norway (NOR)
- POT 4: Ghana (GHA)
What's next:
The Final Draw will take place on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Coverage begins at 9 a.m. ET on FOX 5 DC.
The results will determine the U.S. Men’s National Team’s path as it looks to make a deep run on home soil in 2026.
The Source: This article is based on FIFA’s confirmed 2026 World Cup Draw Pots and official draw procedures.