A long and chaotic draw ceremony sets up major storylines, including a clash of two top strikers, tough paths for traditional powers and dream opportunities for debutants.
The 2026 World Cup moved one step closer on Friday night after a long and eventful draw ceremony in Washington, D.C., where football, politics and entertainment mixed before the actual team selections finally began.
The night stretched far longer than expected, with performances by big-name musicians and speeches by leaders from the United States, Mexico and Canada. The official draw did not begin until almost 90 minutes after the show started, turning what was meant to be a quick reveal into a marathon event.
When the football talk finally began, it became clear the expanded 48-team tournament had created a very different group stage. With 12 groups of four, many top nations avoided each other early, and the opening round will have fewer heavyweight matchups than in past tournaments.
Even so, some fixtures stand out.
The most anticipated group-stage meeting will be Erling Haaland’s Norway vs. Kylian Mbappé’s France, a rare chance to see two of the world’s most prolific forwards face each other on the international stage. Haaland pushed Norway back into the World Cup for the first time since 1998, while Mbappé arrives as one of the sport’s biggest global stars.
There are also reunions that carry strong memories. Mexico will again face South Africa, the same pairing that opened the 2010 World Cup. France will meet Senegal, a match-up that recalls Senegal’s shock win over the then-champions in 2002.
For four debutants; Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Jordan and Curaçao—the draw delivered both excitement and tough challenges. Curaçao will face Germany in its first-ever World Cup match. Cape Verde gets Spain. Jordan will meet Argentina and Lionel Messi. Uzbekistan will play Portugal, guided by former Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro.
But the biggest drama may come later.
If results fall the right way, the knockout rounds could produce major clashes early. Germany and France could meet in the round of 16. And if both Argentina and Portugal top their groups and advance, the world could see one last major meeting between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the quarter-finals—a dream scenario for fans as both approach their final World Cup campaigns.
England open against Croatia, while Scotland face Brazil in a challenging start. Should both teams win their groups, they may get more favorable matchups in the early knockouts, though the path quickly becomes complex.
The draw offered long waits, bright lights and plenty of music, but it also set up storylines that could define a historic World Cup: superstar duels, unexpected chances for newcomers and the possibility of legendary careers meeting one last time on the global stage.
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