FIFA World Cup groups: Canada facing Switzerland, Qatar and unknown European team after 2026 draw

12/05/25 16:29

Opinion: The World Cup draw lived up to its hype as a spectacle of meme-able proportions

- Cathal Kelly

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From Wayne Gretzky’s struggles to pronounce some of the countries he drew to Trump accepting the first-ever FIFA Peace Price, today’s draw was sports’ next phase – pure cheese. If the ructions of 2020 were the early 1970s redux, we’re in the polyester-pant-suit end of that decade now.

This is beyond politics. If they’d hauled a clay bust of Cthulhu on stage on Friday, FIFA boss Gianni Infantino would have praised it as the greatest graven head in history and given it a commemorative brooch.

The new rules are you get as much for yourself as you can, however you can. Money is a part of it. Attention is just as good.

The point isn’t to be good. It’s to be seen. It’s to be memed and talked about and even mocked. That’s the point of the World Cup, as Infantino and Trump describe it. A chance to sell a lot of tickets. More tickets than ever. Bigger and more, including more ridiculous.

Gretzky’s performance on Friday will be seen by far, far more people than any of his goals. In this new sports world, that’s a win. Wayne’s a thing again. In North Macedonia at least.

Read Cathal Kelly’s full column here.

12/05/25 16:14

When are the 2026 World Cup playoffs for UEFA and FIFA qualifiers?

– Globe staff, The Associated Press

The final six teams to qualify for the World Cup will be decided in playoffs in March, 2026.

Four of 16 remaining European teams will qualify via the UEFA playoffs to be held March 26 and 31, while the two additional FIFA playoffs include six teams from all over the world. Those will be held March 23-31 in Guadalajara and Monterrey in Mexico.

The winner of UEFA Playoff A will face Canada in the team’s opening World Cup match in Toronto on June 12.

Here are all the teams playing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup:

UEFA Playoff A: Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales and Bosnia-Herzegovina

UEFA Playoff B: Ukraine, Sweden, Poland and Albania

UEFA Playoff C: Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo

UEFA Playoff D: Denmark, North Macedonia, the Czech Republic and Ireland

FIFA Playoff 1: New Caledonia, Jamaica and Congo

FIFA Playoff 2: Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq

12/05/25 15:50

Is there a 2026 World Cup ‘group of death?’ A look at the toughest groupings

–The Associated Press

Here’s a list of the groups from strongest to weakest, using each group’s average FIFA ranking. For groups with placeholders, the highest-ranked possible qualifier was used.

Group F – 23.25 (Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, UEFA Playoff B)

Group D – 26 (United States, Australia, Paraguay, UEFA Playoff C)

Group B – 26.75 (Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, UEFA Playoff A)

Group I – 27.25 (France, Senegal, Norway, FIFA Playoff 2)

Group L – 29 (England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana)

Group A – 29.75 (Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, UEFA Playoff D)

Group J – 31.75 (Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan)

Group C – 34 (Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti)

Group H – 36.25 (Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde)

Group G – 37 (Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand)

Group K – 37.25 (Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, FIFA Playoff 1)

Group E – 39 (Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao)

12/05/25 15:25

When is Canada playing Switzerland and Qatar, and which other World Cup games is it hosting?

- Globe staff

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Canada has known it will host 13 games for a while, but today’s draw has revealed (for the most part) which countries the team will play in Toronto and Vancouver.

With the full group-stage schedule coming out tomorrow and the final Group B opponent still a mystery, here’s Canada’s schedule so far and which games this country is hosting:

Games in Toronto at BMO Field:

• June 12: Group B - Canada’s first match against UEFA Playoff A winner
• June 17: Group L match
• June 20: Group E match
• June 23: Group L match
• June 26: Group I match
• July 2: Round of 32 match (Group K vs. Group L runners-up)

Games in Vancouver at BC Place:

• June 13: Group D match
• June 18: Group B - Canada vs. Qatar
• June 21: Group G match
• June 24: Group B - Canada vs. Switzerland
• June 26: Group G match
• July 2: Round of 32 match (Group B winners vs. Group E/F/G/I/J third place)
• July 7: Round of 16 match

12/05/25 15:20

Ex-sports reporter in Vancouver shares reaction to Canada’s group

- Andrea Woo

Among those in attendance at Vancouver’s watch party is Mario Canseco, whom many Canadians will recognize as a prominent pollster and political commentator. Few may know that he was also a sports reporter in Mexico who covered the FIFA World Cup in 1994 and 1998.

He admits he’s a little disappointed by Canada’s group, which includes Switzerland, Qatar and a yet-to-be-determined European team.

“It would have been great to have a team with a heavy diaspora in Vancouver,” he said. “If we had gotten Iran, you pretty much guarantee that half of North Vancouver is going to show up at BC Place.”

On the flip side, Vancouver will be getting fans from two countries that like to spend money, he said: “So good for the local economy, but probably not great for those who are hoping to have the World Cup come to Vancouver and watch a team from your homeland.”

12/05/25 15:03

A post-draw meeting between Carney, Trump and Sheinbaum

– Adrian Morrow

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After the event wrapped up, Carney, Trump and Sheinbaum met privately without staff.

Carney is expected to speak at a private event at the embassy before leaving Washington, so it’s unclear when or if we might get any word on what was discussed and where things stand on the trade file.

Overall, the energy in the hall didn’t feel particularly electric through most of the show, though it picked up significantly during the actual draw.

Carney, for his part, seemed to at least get the tone of conversation he was hoping for from Trump, though we don’t yet know if he got any substance.

12/05/25 14:58

How to get tickets to the World Cup

– Globe staff

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Demand for tickets to all 104 matches has been massive, especially for Canadians trying to take advantage of games at home. But now that the first phase sold out and the second round for Canadian matches has closed, there are still opportunities to snag tickets to games in Toronto, Vancouver or elsewhere.

Applications for the third phase, the random selection draw, open Dec. 11 at 11 a.m. ET and close Jan. 13 at 11 a.m. ET. If selected, fans will be notified and able to try to purchase tickets some time after Jan. 13.

Whatever tickets remain after this third round will be released “closer to the tournament … on a first-come, first-served basis,” FIFA said in October.

FIFA has also temporarily closed its ticketing platform until Dec. 11 at 11 a.m. ET, and all ticketing services will be unavailable until the random selection draw begins. More information at FIFA.com/tickets.

12/05/25 14:39

Here are the final 2026 World Cup groups and FIFA rankings

– Globe staff

With six of 48 teams still yet to qualify, here are the final groups for the 2026 World Cup and their FIFA rankings:

• Group A: Mexico (15), South Korea (22), South Africa (61), UEFA Playoff D winner
• Group B: Canada (27), Switzerland (17), Qatar (51), UEFA Playoff A winner
• Group C: Brazil (5), Morocco (11), Scotland (36), Haiti (84)
• Group D: United States (14), Australia (26), Paraguay (39), UEFA Playoff C winner
• Group E: Germany (9), Ecuador (23), Ivory Coast (42), Curacao
• Group F: Netherlands (7), Japan (18), Tunisia (40), UEFA Playoff B winner
• Group G: Belgium (8), Iran (20), Egypt (34), New Zealand (86)
• Group H: Spain (1), Uruguay (16), Saudi Arabia (60), Cape Verde (68)
• Group I: France (3), Senegal (19), Norway (29), FIFA 2 winner
• Group J: Argentina (2), Algeria (35), Austria (24), Jordan (66)
• Group K: Portugal (6), Colombia (13), Uzbekistan (50), FIFA 1 winner
• Group L: England (4), Croatia (10), Panama (30), Ghana (72)

Canada’s remaining opponent in Group B will be the winner of the UEFA playoff A: Italy (12), Northern Ireland (69), Wales (32) or Bosnia and Herzegovina (71).

12/05/25 14:29

Carney expected to hold pull-aside meeting with Trump

– Adrian Morrow

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During a performance of YMCA by the Village People that appeared to have a technical glitch at the start, Donald Trump jumped up partway through and started doing his signature dance.

Mark Carney and Claudia Sheinbaum grinned but remained seated and carried on a conversation for most of the number. At the very end, Carney got up and applauded.

The three not-really-amigos left the hall by the same door. Carney is expected to have a pull-aside meeting with Trump before heading to the Canadian embassy for a Christmas event and then flying back to Ottawa.

As Trump left the hall, some FIFA officials stood up and took photos or video of him. The Trump effect even works on cooler-than-thou Europeans.

12/05/25 14:21

Carney, Trump and Sheinbaum continue chatting throughout draw

– Adrian Morrow

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Mark Carney, Donald Trump and Claudia Sheinbaum have been chatting amicably as the draw unfolds.

At one point, just after Wayne Gretzky drew a member of Canada’s group (the winner of a playoff between Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales and Bosnia-Herzegovina), Carney and Trump leaned into each other, across Sheinbaum (who is sitting between them), and seemed to be pointing and gesturing toward each other.

There is no way to know at the moment if they are discussing trade or exchanging soccer pleasantries, but Carney clearly seems to be taking full advantage of his opportunity to catch Trump in a good mood as he seeks to convince him to not withdraw from the USMCA.

Trump was originally meant to leave the Kennedy Center after finishing his turn on stage. But he appears to have opted to stick around for the entire show. How could he pass up an opportunity to see the Village People live?

12/05/25 14:19

Toronto fans confront ‘beautiful agony’ of possibly facing Italy in June

– Simon Houpt

Oh boy. A crowd of Canada Soccer supporters gathered here at Real Sports bar in downtown Toronto are clearly going through all the feels right now, after the fourth team in Canada’s group – which Canada will face in its opening match on June 12 – was announced as one of Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina.

After the elation of learning Canada would face Switzerland and Qatar, the crowd was feeling pretty confident. Now they’re confronting the beautiful agony of possibly facing Italy in Toronto.

12/05/25 14:16

Opinion: It’s a middling draw for Canada

– Campbell Clark

It’s a middling draw for Canada. It could be tough to get out of the group.

Qatar is a team Canada should be able to beat. But the problem is that the “weak” team drawn out of Pot 4 is a surprise package – the eventual winner of a playoff between four European teams. One of them is Italy, which isn’t the powerhouse it used to be but still has enough good players to be trouble for Canada – if the Italians click in the playoffs and make it to the tournament.

That’s on top of Switzerland, a hard-to-beat team with top-level veterans who have been in major tournaments before.

The top two teams advance, as well as the eight best third-place teams, so it’s not impossible.

12/05/25 14:11

Canada head coach Jesse Marsch ends up with unwanted scenario

– Paul Attfield

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While Jesse Marsch will have been pleased to avoid Norway in the draw – he was fearful of playing a dynamic team featuring Erling Haaland – he ended up with a scenario he didn’t want: facing a placeholder.

The playoffs don’t take place until the end of March, so Canada’s time to prepare for its opening opponent will be relatively short – half the time it gets for its other two opponents, Switzerland and Qatar.

12/05/25 14:06

Canada’s opponent out of Pot 4 is unknown European team

– Cathal Kelly

Canada’s opponent out of Pot 4 – the final pot – is Italy. Maybe. Canada gets the winner of a playoff featuring Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales and Bosnia. That mini-tournament will be played in March.

So far, Group B is Canada (ranked 27th in the world), Switzerland (17th), Qatar (51st) and … Italy (12th). You know it’s going to be Italy. If so, that match would be Canada’s World Cup opener in Toronto on June 12.

All things considered … not great. Switzerland is a very tough ask. Qatar should be a gimme. Italy would be a disaster. Two teams will advance, as well as eight top third-place finishers.

At first glance, the groups of death are C (featuring Brazil, Morocco and Scotland), I (France, Norway and Senegal) and L (England, Croatia and Panama).

That’s if you think there is such a thing as a group of death any more after the expansion of the tournament to 48 teams. From this vantage, all of the top teams will believe they are advancing to the knockout rounds.

12/05/25 13:57

Soccer fans at Toronto bar cheer as Qatar chosen as one of Canada’s opponents

– Simon Houpt

Here at Toronto’s Real Sports bar in downtown Toronto, at a watch party for Canada Soccer supporters and sponsors, the crowd erupted for the very first time all afternoon when Qatar’s name was chosen to join Canada’s Group B. The Qatari men’s team is ranked 51st.

12/05/25 13:54

France and Germany poised for possible knock-out clash

– The Associated Press

Longtime rivals France and Germany – who played a famous semifinal in 1982 – could meet as early as the round of 16 this time, should each win its group.

France was drawn into Group I, with Germany in Group E.

Meanwhile, Morocco – which became the first African team to make a World Cup semifinal in 2022 – was drawn into Group C, where it will face the group’s top-seed pick, Brazil.

12/05/25 13:51

Canada’s opponent out of Pot 3 is Qatar

– Cathal Kelly and Paul Attfield

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Canada’s opponent out of Pot 3 – the pot containing the third tier of ranked teams – is Qatar. This could not have gone better for Canada. With all due respect, the Qataris should be there for the taking.

So far, Group B is Canada (ranked 27th in the world), Switzerland (17th) and Qatar (51st).

That match will take place on June 18 at BC Place in Vancouver, and should give Canada a real opportunity to get some points on the board before it faces world No. 17 Switzerland in its final group game.

Pot 4 – which contains all the European teams who have yet to qualify, including Italy – still to go.

12/05/25 13:50

Scenes from Vancouver’s watch party

– Andrea Woo

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Former Vancouver Whitecaps captain and U.S. men’s national team defender Jay DeMerit is here with all-time leading goal scorer Christine Sinclair at the Vancouver watch party, giving out prizes to lucky fans.

It’s a full house here, with a few hundred people packed into a Vancouver brew pub.

12/05/25 13:47

Reaction from Toronto’s watch party on Canada’s first opponent

- Greg Mercer

No one is quite sure how to react at Toronto’s watch party when Canada draws Switzerland as the first opponent in its grouping. Just a few slow claps.

12/05/25 13:42

Canada’s first opponent out of Pot 2 is Switzerland

– Cathal Kelly and Paul Attfield

Canada’s opponent out of Pot 2 – the pot containing the second tier of ranked teams – is Switzerland. Not as bad as it could have been, but also not great. The Swiss did not lose a game in European qualifying for this World Cup.

That game will be the third of Canada’s three pool games, with the match taking place at Vancouver’s BC Place on June 24.

While Canada avoided some of the potentially tougher opponents from Pot 2 – Morocco, Croatia or Colombia for instance – Switzerland is certainly no pushover, and will present a sizeable challenge to Jesse Marsch’s team.

12/05/25 13:38

Brazil is first out of the pot in FIFA World Cup draw

– Paul Attfield

Brazil is first out of the pot, with Tom Brady plucking the five-time world champion and placing it into Group C. Next up is four-time winner Germany (Group E), three-time runner-up the Netherlands (Group F), Belgium (Group G), and 2010 champion Spain (Group H).

Defending World Cup winner, and world No. 2 Argentina goes into Group J – the first non-sequential draw – to ensure it avoids meeting world No. 1 Spain until at least the final, leaving France to draw into Group I, with Portugal going in to Group K, leaving England to round out the Pot 1 teams, ending in Group L.

Co-hosts Mexico, Canada and the United States had already been pre-selected to Groups A, B and D, respectively.

12/05/25 13:31

Rio Ferdinand leads draw with help of Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge, Shaquille O’Neal and Tom Brady

– Paul Attfield

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More than an hour after the “draw” began, the entertainers have finally handed off to the athletes, with hosts Kevin Hart and Heidi Klum introducing former Manchester United and England national team defender Rio Ferdinand. He’ll preside over the actual drawing of the teams alongside broadcaster Samantha Johnson, who also co-hosted the last World Cup draw.

Drawing on the traditional big-four sports in North America, Ferdinand and Johnson will be assisted by NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, current baseball great Aaron Judge, former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal and seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady, who now has a stake in the “other football” through his minority ownership in England’s Birmingham City.

12/05/25 13:14

Carney, Sheinbaum and Trump sitting side by side now

-Adrian Morrow

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Carney, Sheinbaum and Trump are back to their box, sitting side by side now.

In case you were wondering how a hall full of football bureaucrats is taking in Lauryn Hill, it’s about what you’d expect. One woman is bopping along, one guy is filming on his phone, and everyone else is sitting quietly and politely.

12/05/25 13:11

Performances from Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, Lauryn Hill show a musical range

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– The Associated Press

Williams and Scherzinger delivered a rousing performance of FIFA’s official hymn, Desire, earning them a standing ovation as the afternoon’s second musical performance.

Williams, a FIFA music ambassador, rose to fame with the British pop group Take That before launching a blockbuster solo career marked by numerous multiplatinum albums.

Scherzinger, a singer, actress and television personality, is best known as the lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls and a judge on The Masked Singer.

In the third of four acts slated for the afternoon, Lauryn Hill took the stage, soon joined by her son YG Marley, whose grandfather Bob Marley was “a great fan of football,” according to Hill.

“Make some noise,” she told the crowd, who obliged as she launched into her 1998 hit Doo Wop (That Thing).

12/05/25 13:04

The Three Amigos in the era of Trump

-Adrian Morrow

As close as you’ll get to the Three Amigos in the era of Trump.

Mark Carney had a line in his brief speech about how there are “more than 200 nationalities in Canada,” not long after U.S. Vice-President JD Vance bashed Canadian multiculturalism.

Claudia Sheinbaum has evoked Mexico’s ancient history of ball sports.

Donald Trump described watching Pele play, who was “I assume one of the greats.”

12/05/25 12:58

Carney, Sheinbaum, Trump draw their country’s names

-Globe staff

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Prime Minister Mark Carney, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and U.S. President Donald Trump each had the chance to draw their own country’s name out of the FIFA bag to start off the draw and get them assigned to their respective groups: Group B for Canada, Group A for Mexico and Group D for the United States.

12/05/25 12:44

Opinion: FIFA awards Trump with ‘toy peace prize’

– Campbell Clark

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What a surprise!

FIFA has awarded Donald Trump a toy peace prize.

If you are not familiar with the FIFA Peace Prize, that’s because nobody is. It is new. It has no known criteria or process. It’s been widely assumed it was created for Trump and that the fix was in to hand it to the U.S. President. And it was.

Trump has shamelessly coveted the Nobel Peace Prize, even using his speech to the United Nations General Assembly to say he deserved it. When he didn’t win, the White House complained. Luckily, FIFA president Gianni Infantino shamelessly created the FIFA Peace Prize to flatter the President.

It came with a gold trophy! “There is also a beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go,” Infantino said in presenting the award.

Trump called it “one of the great honours of my life.”

12/05/25 12:39

No reaction at Toronto watch party on Trump’s FIFA Peace Prize

– Greg Mercer

No reaction from the crowd in Toronto as Donald Trump is awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize – except for a few laughs and shaking heads.

Oh, wait, some have now turned their backs to the screen as Trump accepts the prize. “I just can’t,” said one man.

12/05/25 12:38

Trump awarded inaugural FIFA Peace Prize

-Adrian Morrow

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A polite smattering of applause in the hall, both when Donald Trump was officially announced as the winner of the FIFA Peace Prize and when Gianni Infantino introduced him on the stage.

Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum got up from their seats and slipped out of the hall around the same time Trump did.

Worth noting that much of this audience is made up of FIFA officials from around the world who, unlike Infantino, Carney and Sheinbaum, have no particular need to butter up Trump.

12/05/25 12:26

FIFA boss Infantino’s opening remarks

– Cathal Kelly

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FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, a modest, retiring man, has just called the company he leads “the official happiness provider for humanity.” He said the World Cup is “the greatest event that mankind has ever seen and will ever see.” Turn back, alien visitors. No need to land. We’ve peaked already.

12/05/25 12:23

Carney and Trump to meet after World Cup draw, PMO says

-Adrian Morrow

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Prime Minister Mark Carney is sitting two seats to Donald Trump’s left, with Gianni Infantino’s seat between them. The PMO says Carney and Trump will have a short pull-aside after the event is done around 1:45 p.m. ET.

Carney met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum beforehand.

Trump and Carney appear to have had a conversation already as things got under way. Carney walked up to Trump and shook his hand. They continued speaking as the house lights dimmed for the event to start.

Accompanying Carney here are his wife, Diana Fox Carney, and Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to the U.S.

12/05/25 12:15

Kevin Hart asks ‘soccer or football’ while co-hosting with Heidi Klum

– The Associated Press

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American comedian Kevin Hart is co-hosting the ceremony and turning it into a global comedy club.

Right after FIFA president Gianni Infantino playfully blocked him from hugging co-host Heidi Klum, Hart launched into a very American debate: “Is it football … or soccer?”

The crowd laughed. Infantino did the fake tough-guy walk-off. And Hart doubled down like only he can, cracking jokes while millions watched around the world.

12/05/25 12:12

Singer Andrea Bocelli opens World Cup draw with performance

-Adrian Morrow

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This Andrea Bocelli number will be familiar to anyone who has attended a Trump rally in the past 10 years – it’s one of the standards he uses to close the evening.

Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino sitting back and centre, in the first balcony up, directly across from the stage.

12/05/25 12:08

On the ground from the Kennedy Center in Washington

– Cathal Kelly

Hi, I’m Cathal Kelly, a Globe sports columnist, and I’m at the Kennedy Center in Washington. The draw is beginning, though it’s still more of a concert than a draw. The sports part of this won’t start until 45 minutes into the show.

Here’s what Canada’s looking to do: avoid wherever possible the likes of Croatia (their Qatar nemesis), Morocco, Italy, Norway and Colombia. That’s a decent top 5 “we’d rather not” list. Anybody else, and you could say they did okay here today.

12/05/25 12:05

Hundreds attend Toronto’s World Cup draw watch party

– Greg Mercer

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There are hundreds of people inside Toronto’s World Cup draw watch party, many wearing national soccer jerseys and scarves. The event, with thumping music and a poutine station, is closed to the public, so most people here are either city staff, soccer officials, FIFA representatives or politicians.

12/05/25 11:57

Gretzky, Brady among non-soccer stars helping with the draw

-Globe staff

According to the official FIFA World Cup account, athletes from across the sports world will be on hand to help with the draw, whether in a “conductor” role (Rio Ferdinand and Samantha Johnson), the host of the red carpet (Eli Manning) or assisting with the draw (Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge and Shaquille O’Neal).

12/05/25 11:53

Vancouver watch-party-goers gear up for today’s World Cup draw

– Andrea Woo

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Good morning! I’m Andrea Woo at the Vancouver watch party for today’s FIFA draw, which is being held at a brewery that is … significantly busier than I expected it to be at 8 a.m.! The host of today’s event here is none other than FIFA Women’s World Cup veteran Christine Sinclair.

While waiting to get started, I chatted with Gustavo Lin, an Argentinian-born Vancouverite who brought along a replica FIFA World Cup trophy that has been sitting in his living room since Argentina’s win in 2022. Asked about his fandom, he said: “As an Argentinian, you have no choice. … It’s in your blood, even if you don’t like the sport.”

12/05/25 11:48

As FIFA adds constraints to World Cup draw, the possibility for inherent bias remains

– Paul Attfield

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With notable exceptions – such as the error-strewn farce ahead of the 1982 tournament – the World Cup draw usually goes off without a hitch.

Lottery balls are plucked from buckets, the identities of the teams are revealed, the groups are methodically filled, and fans across the planet can start plotting their team’s path to glory.

While there is nothing to suggest today’s event will be anything but a success, some say quietly that it could be improved.

Improvements aren’t sought in the amount of pomp around the star-studded event but in the process that is used to fill each of the round-robin groups.

After dividing the teams into tiered pots – generally seeded according to the world rankings – FIFA employs a sequential method to fill the groups in order, so that each will contain one team from Pot 1, one from Pot 2 and so on. There are various constraints added on top of that, such as restricting the number of teams from each of the six confederations to one per group – with the exception of UEFA, which is allowed at least one and no more than two per group, owing to the 16 European teams in the draw.

However, these constraints, alongside the sequential method – which moves the conflicted team to the next available group – introduce the possibility for inherent bias in the proceedings.

Read the full story here.

12/05/25 11:42

Unavoidable interwoven relationships of politics and FIFA

-Adrian Morrow

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Because of Donald Trump’s tight security, there was a two-hour lineup to get through Secret Service screening outside the Kennedy Center this morning, under the first snowfall of the season.

The queue was along Jamal Khashoggi Way, named for the Saudi dissident murdered, according to U.S. intelligence, on the orders of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Both Trump and FIFA head Gianni Infantino have cultivated relationships with MBS; Infantino awarded the 2034 World Cup to the Kingdom last year.

The sign bearing Khashoggi’s name, just outside the hall, is a visual reminder that Infantino’s bromance with Trump isn’t the first time he has drawn fire for getting close to contentious political figures.

12/05/25 11:37

Coach Jesse Marsch on the teams he’s looking to avoid in the draw

-Paul Attfield

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The draw is still minutes away, but the dignitaries are assembling on the red carpet, including the head coaches and managers from the 64 countries involved (both those that have already qualified and those set to take part in the playoffs).

Canadian men’s national team head coach Jesse Marsch was very honest about the teams he would not want to face in the World Cup draw. In talking to TSN, he said he wants to avoid Norway – a Pot 3 team – in the draw. The European side is led by Erling Haaland, one of the world’s top strikers, who has 15 goals in 14 Premier League games for Manchester City this season. Marsch knows him better than most, having coached him for a season at Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg.

He also said he’d like to avoid one of the TBD teams, with six placeholders set to represent the countries that will emerge from the playoffs next March. Marsch added that he would like to know the identities of all three opponents Canada will face so that he and his coaching team can get a head start on preparations.

12/05/25 11:33

Watching for Toronto and Vancouver matchups

- Paul Attfield

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I’m Paul Attfield, a sports reporter based in Toronto, and I’m watching the TSN broadcast from home, eagerly awaiting how it all turns out.

Like so many others already in possession of tickets for the first men’s World Cup games to be played on Canadian soil, I’ll be very interested to see who will get to play in both Toronto and Vancouver, though those matchups won’t be fully known until the schedule reveal on Saturday.

12/05/25 11:30

More than 248,000 World Cup volunteer applications in Toronto

-Greg Mercer

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, speaking at the World Cup draw watch party, said the tournament will be a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase who we are.” She said more than 248,000 people applied to be volunteers for the tournament in Toronto – more than any other of the 16 host cities.

12/05/25 11:28

The schedule for the day

– Globe staff

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According to FIFA’s official timeline, the event should take two hours, including four musical performances, the awarding of the Peace Prize and, of course, the draw itself, starting at 12:45 p.m. ET.

12/05/25 11:25

Carney says Canada is ‘up for anyone’

– Campbell Clark

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Canada’s Prime Minister has already weighed in on who the country wants to face out of today’s World Cup draw.

“We’re up for anyone,” Mark Carney told a TSN reporter. He said he’d like to see Canada face “a mix” of countries from different regions with different playing styles – and whoever it is, they will have a connection to Canada.

Carney pointed out that the World Cup is a big event for younger Canadians, as soccer is the most-played sport among boys and girls.

12/05/25 11:22

A preview of the political spectacle to come

– Adrian Morrow

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Hi, I’m Adrian Morrow, a Washington, D.C.-based U.S. correspondent for The Globe and Mail. I’m at the Kennedy Center, where the World Cup draw is scheduled to kick off at noon.

I’m mostly here for the political spectacle: As part of FIFA head Gianni Infantino’s courtship of Donald Trump, he’s expected to give the U.S. President FIFA’s first-ever peace prize, which Infantino created last month as something of a consolation prize for Trump, who desperately covets another, more famous prize of the same name.

12/05/25 11:15

Watching for the soccer – and the politics

– Campbell Clark

I’m Campbell Clark, chief political writer based in Ottawa, but today I’m joining the live blog on my other obsession, soccer.

It will be an interesting draw – and for Canada, possibly an opportunity to get through the group stage for the first time. As a co-host with Mexico and the U.S., our men’s national team will be seeded in Pot 1, so it won’t be in a group with the world’s very best. Still, a lot of good teams could make for great matches. And I will be watching some of the politics around the draw event in Washington, too.

12/05/25 11:12

World Cup draw in Washington is one more play in Trump and FIFA’s long game of politics

– Adrian Morrow

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When FIFA dignitaries and star soccer players gather at the Kennedy Center in Washington today at noon, the ostensible purpose will be to determine which team plays which in the first round of next year’s World Cup.

But the world’s eyes are less likely to focus on the actual draw than on the bromance between U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA head Gianni Infantino.

In the run-up to the World Cup, Infantino has bent over backward to please Trump. The Swiss-Italian soccer executive has lavished public praise on the President, presented him with a trophy and opened a FIFA office in Manhattan’s Trump Tower.

Infantino’s campaign of flattery is expected to reach new heights today when he will award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. It is a good bet that this new honour, which Infantino created barely a month ago, will go to Trump as a consolation for the Nobel he has loudly campaigned for but so far failed to win.

While it’s common for politicians to bask in the reflected glory of popular sporting events, Trump has done so to an unusual degree with Infantino’s backing. It is all set to make for an ostentatious spectacle that could overshadow the game itself and tie FIFA’s brand with the President’s.

Read the full feature here.

12/05/25 11:08

Toronto gears up for World Cup draw with a watch party

– Greg Mercer

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I’m Greg Mercer, a reporter with The Globe and Mail’s investigative team, at Toronto’s World Cup draw watch party this morning. The private event is closed to the public but packed with city staff, sponsors and FIFA representatives.

I just conducted a short interview with John Tory, who led Toronto’s bid to co-host the World Cup when he was mayor. He says the tournament, while criticized for its cost and association with divisive policies from the Trump White House, will be a “psychological and economic” boost for the city and Canada.

12/05/25 11:00

How the World Cup draw works

- Paul Attfield

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With the 2026 tournament having expanded by 50 per cent from three years ago in Qatar, there are now 48 teams to be divided up into 12 groups of four for the round robin.

For the purposes of the draw, the teams have been seeded into four pots of 12 teams, based on the FIFA world rankings as of Nov. 19, with the three co-hosts – Canada, Mexico and the United States – automatically placed in the first pot, along with the nine highest teams in the world rankings.

However, with only 42 of the 48 teams having qualified as of yet, there will be six placeholders in the draw to represent the teams that will qualify from the playoffs, scheduled for the end of March. However, all six will be placed in the fourth pot of seeds, opening the possibility that a team like four-time World Cup winner Italy (which, despite being ranked 12th in the world, will have to try to qualify through the playoffs) being drawn into a group with a top-seeded team like Brazil, England or Canada.

12/05/25 11:00

Carney, Trump to meet briefly during FIFA World Cup draw in Washington

- Steven Chase and Adrian Morrow

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Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet today in Washington with Donald Trump, as the U.S. President has been talking of withdrawing from the USMCA, the trilateral North American trade deal.

“The Prime Minister and Mr. Trump will have a brief meeting during their time together at the Kennedy Center” as the two leaders gather for the final FIFA World Cup draw, said Audrey Champoux, deputy director of communications and media relations for the PMO.

She added that Carney will also meet briefly with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Read the full story here.

12/05/25 11:00

When the World Cup draw starts and how to watch

- Paul Attfield

The 2026 World Cup draw will begin today at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

Canadians can watch the draw live on TSN or stream it on FIFA’s website.

12/05/25 11:00

What to know about today’s World Cup draw

- Paul Attfield

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Today’s draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will determine Canada’s opponents for the opening group stage and the team’s potential path through the competition.

Although the Canadian men’s national team has long known it would be at this World Cup – its second straight and third in the federation’s history – what hasn’t been known is the identity of its three opponents in the round robin, beginning with its first game on June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto.

All will be revealed beginning at noon ET at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, U.S. President Donald Trump – whose lobbying for a Nobel Peace Prize could be appeased by the association’s creation of the FIFA Peace Prize – and assembled dignitaries and soccer legends will pull coloured balls out of buckets in a lavish televised event to fill out the different groups.

Here’s your guide to the World Cup draw and how it works.