Opportunity knocks for co-hosts in group stage
Canada, Mexico and USA now know who they will face during the group phase of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Canada drawn with Qatar and Switzerland in Group B
Mexico to meet Korea Republic and South Africa in Group A
USA will face Australia and Paraguay in Group D
The stage is set. The three FIFA World Cup 2026™ co-hosts have discovered who they will face in the group stage of next year's global showpiece - and Canada, Mexico and USA will each have a sense of confidence that they can reach the knockout stages following the star-studded Final Draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
The trio will undoubtedly be boosted by the familiarity of playing on home soil and having so many of their own fans cheering them on. But, as FIFA examines, there will be plenty of challenges in store as well.
In their two FIFA World Cup™ appearances to date, Canada have yet to register a point and their hopes of breaking their duck are realistic but far from straightforward.
Canada's opening opponents in Toronto on 12 June will not be confirmed until March. What is known is that it will be one of Bosnia and Herzegovenia, Italy, Northern Ireland and Wales. In the aftermath of the draw, coach Jesse Marsch described the daunting prospect of facing four-time champions Italy - the presumptive favourites to emerge from UEFA Play-offs Path A - as "outstanding".
"Our first game at home - I know there would be a lot of Italian-Canadians at the match and they had better root for Canada, that's all I'm saying," Marsch said. "I live in Italy and I think Italy is a really good team. [Gennaro] Gattuso has come in and done a good job, made them very competitive in their last matches and that would be a big challenge for us and incredible moment for us in a home World Cup to have Canada against Italy."
In Vancouver, Canada then take on a dangerous Switzerland team who are ranked 17th in the world, and Qatar, who have reached the World Cup for the first time through Asian qualifying after hosting the 2022 event. With star man Alphonso Davies expected to be firing on all cylinders, Marsch is cautiously optimistic of success. “I think we're excited. As I said going into the draw, we weren't going to fear anyone, but we will respect everyone. And I think that remains with this group. I think there's opportunity there, but some big challenges. So, we're excited.”
Mexico will kick off the World Cup with a much-anticipated clash against South Africa at Mexico City Stadium, in a repeat of the 2010 opener when the teams drew 1-1 in Soccer City, Soweto. With their passionate home fans cheering them on, Javier Aguirre's men will be bullish about their chances against a team currently placed 61st in the FIFA/Cola-Cola Men's World Ranking.
A tougher test is expected against a Korea Republic team who sailed through Asian qualifying and are preparing for an 11th consecutive tournament. Mexico have faced the Koreans twice in World Cup history - at France 1998 and Russia 2018 - and won both matches. The final place, meanwhile, will be determined by the winner of UEFA Play-Offs Path D, which will be Denmark, Czechia, North Macedonia or Republic of Ireland.
El Tricolor have struggled since winning the Concacaf Gold Cup earlier this year but the excitement of playing in a third World Cup on home soil should provide the impetus that they need to rise to the occasion. "We faced Korea and they are not an easy team. They do their job. They are disciplined and organised, while South Africa is not easy either," Aguirre said after the draw. "They are good teams, but we have a chance, we are at home and with our people."
USA's opening game against Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium on 12 June promises to be a blockbuster affair. The two sides met in a testy friendly match last month, which Mauricio Pochettino's men won 2-1 thanks to goals from a rejuvenated Gio Reyna and Folarin Balogun. With the South Americans having conceded just ten goals in qualifying, the co-hosts will need to make sure they find their scoring touch, however.
The Stars and Stripes also defeated Australia by a 2-1 margin in October but Tony Popovic's Socceroos will not be overawed by the occasion when they meet in Seattle. The final place in the group will be either Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia or Türkiye. With rising stars such as Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz in the team, the Turks would be formidable opponents indeed.
Pochettino has warned his players not to be complacent. “My message to the players is we need to compete better than Paraguay. That is going to be difficult,” he said. “Australia is going to be difficult and the team that’s going to join us is going to be difficult. We need to build our journey step by step and we need to prepare like way when we start to play 12 June, like it’s the last game, like the final of the World Cup.”