It was long, awkward, and cringy, but the 2026 World Cup draw has finally been completed, further whetting the appetite for next summer’s tournament. A total of 48 nations will compete across Canada, Mexico and the United States for eternal footballing glory. Here, we take a closer look at the confirmed groups and the latest World Cup odds.
Latest 2026 World Cup Odds
| Winner (Top Five Only) | Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | 9/2 | bet365 |
| England | 13/2 | BetMGM |
| France | 8/1 | bet365 |
| Brazil | 8/1 | BetMGM |
| Argentina | 8/1 | Ladbrokes |
*Odds correct as of 19:00 GMT on 05/12/2025. Odds subject to change
2026 World Cup Draw: Calm After the Chaos
If next summer’s World Cup turns out to be anything like the draw, then we should prepare ourselves for absolute carnage.
A simple task of picking balls out of a bowl was turned into a two-hour variety show by FIFA, who filled the spectacle with live music, dancing and a knock-off version of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Thankfully, the draw is now behind us and we can look forward to the football. The groups have been made official and the fixtures are pencilled in, leaving us with several tasty narratives and juicy fixture to look forward to. Some of the best online bookies will also take note of the draw.
Before we get into all that, here is a full confirmation of the groups:
Confirmed 2026 World Cup Groups
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, UEFA Path D Winner (Czechia/Republic of Ireland/Denmark/North Macedonia)
Group B: Canada, Qatar, Switzerland, UEFA Path A Winner (Wales/Bosnia/Italy/Northern Ireland)
Group C: Brazil, Marocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, UEFA Path C Winner (Slovakia/Kosovo/Turkey/Romania)
Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, UEFA Path B Winner (Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania)
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Playoff 2 Winner (Bolivia/Suriname/Iraq)
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia, Playoff 1 Winner (Jamaica/New Caledonia/DR Congo)
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
2026 World Cup Draw: Familiar Opposition for England
Where do we start with England. The Three Lions were the first European team to qualify for next summer’s tournament, and their prize is an opening match with rivals Croatia.
It has been nearly eight years since the two teams met in the 2018 World Cup semi-final, which was a game that broke English hearts as the Croats powered to a 2-1 win in extra time.
Thomas Tuchel and his men will be looking to set the record straight when they face their European counterparts on June 17.
The Three Lions will also take on Panama, who they also drew in the 2018 tournament and beat convincingly 6-1 in their group.
Ghana will also be on England’s radar, with the 2010 quarter-finalists set to pose a potentially tricky challenge.
2026 World Cup Draw: Dream Clash for Scotland
Scotland secured their place at the tournament in dramatic fashion, and they have been rewarded with a blockbuster clash against Brazil.
The Scots have participated in eight World Cup tournaments in their history, and they have met Selecao four times.
Three of those four games ended in defeats, including their last meeting in the 1998 tournament in France.
Elsewhere, France and Senegal will renew their rivalry. The African side famously beat their European rivals at the 2002 World Cup, and they will be looking to pull off another shock next summer.
When it comes to defending champions Argentina, they will kick off the defence of their title against Algeria on June 16. They will follow that up with games against Austria and Jordan.
