The 2026 World Cup will kick off on June 11 with joint-hosts Mexico playing South Africa at the Azteca Stadium - iconic venue of the 1970 and 1986 finals - followed by South Korea against a playoff winner after the complex draw was made on Friday.
The football gods have spoken! The first game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the same opener as the 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP - 🇿🇦 South Africa v Mexico 🇲🇽#FIFAWorldCupDraw pic.twitter.com/4YaQ8JBSwR
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) December 5, 2025
South Africa are appearing for the first time since 2010, when they drew with Mexico in the opening match but failed to reach the knockout stage.
Mexico's co-hosts the United States and Canada will join the party the next day, against Paraguay and a playoff winner - possibly Italy - respectively in Los Angeles and Toronto.
The draw for the expanded 48-team tournament, with six berths still to be filled via a series of playoffs, was hugely complicated due to various geographical sub-clauses.
However, even the lengthy draw seemed short after an opening ceremony of over an hour that included US President Donald Trump being awarded the new FIFA peace prize.
US president Donald Trump became the first-ever recipient of the FIFA Peace Prize at the #FIFAWorldCup Draw 🏅#SSFootball pic.twitter.com/UTeCOmEPuq
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) December 5, 2025
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS ARGENTINA START AGAINST ALGERIA
Defending champions Argentina were grouped with Algeria, Austria and debutants Jordan, while five-times winners Brazil will play Morocco - semifinalists in 2022 - Haiti and Scotland.
The Scots are appearing in the finals for the first time since 1998, when they lost to Brazil in the opening game, while Haiti's only previous appearance came in 1974.
France's first game will be versus Senegal in a repeat of one of the biggest tournament upsets, when the Africans stunned the then-holders in their first game of the 2002 tournament. Norway and one of the playoff winners complete their group.
The 2002 #FIFAWorldCup opener was a classic!
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) December 5, 2025
🇫🇷 France and Senegal 🇸🇳 will meet again at the 2026 edition 🤩#SSFootball #FIFAWorldCupDraw pic.twitter.com/iR5WU3zi2i
England will start against Croatia, who beat them in the 2018 semifinals, and also face Panama, who they thrashed 6-1 in the group stage in the same tournament, and Ghana.
Debutants Curacao, with a population of 150 000 making them by far the smallest country ever to reach the finals, face Germany, Ecuador and the Ivory Cost.
World number one-ranked Spain have a dream draw alongside debutants Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
The Netherlands are with Japan, Tunisia and a playoff winner, Belgium have Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, while Portugal face debutants Uzbekistan, Colombia and a playoff winner.
Could 2026 be Africa's year at the FIFA World Cup? 🏆#FIFAWorldCupDraw pic.twitter.com/AChF2KqIQK
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) December 5, 2025
The teams outside the hosts' groups will have to wait until Saturday to find out the venues and kickoff times for their games after soccer's world governing body FIFA attempts to optimise them relating to the various worldwide TV markets.
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 semifinal stage if they win their groups.
The groups all set for the 2026 FIFA World Cup 🏆#FIFAWorldCupDraw pic.twitter.com/LjhTtncYDP
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) December 5, 2025
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, a qualifier
Group B: Canada, a qualifier, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, a qualifier
Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, a qualifier, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, qualifier, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, a qualifier, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos reacts to the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw.#BafanaPride @10bet_ZA @CastleLagerSA @SABC_Sport pic.twitter.com/CgY5zKTWzv
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) December 6, 2025