Germany are one of the 48 teams who will compete at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the USA next summer. The draw for the group stage will be made on Friday, 5 December in Washington, D.C.. Who might the four-time world champions face?
After beating Slovakia 6-0 in their final qualifier in October, Germany are one of the 12 European teams already assured of their place in the draw. Four more will be confirmed following March’s UEFA play-off ties.
Given they sit ninth in the FIFA world rankings at the time of the draw, Germany have been placed in Pot 1 alongside the eight other best teams and the three hosts.
The other 36 teams (including six placeholders) complete the other three pots.
Get the full lowdown on the 2026 World Cup here
Germany already have their kit out for the 2026 World Cup in North America. - ODD ANDERSEN
One team from each pot will be assigned to each of the 12 groups in Friday’s draw from the Kennedy Center, which begins at midday EST.
Pot 1: United States (co-host), Mexico (co-host), Canada (co-host), Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, UEFA Play-off Winner A, UEFA Play-off Winner B, UEFA Play-off Winner C, UEFA Play-off Winner D, Intercontinental Play-off Winner 1, Intercontinental Play-off Winner 2
Play-off groupings:
UEFA Play-off Winner A: Wales vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina and Italy vs. Northern Ireland
UEFA Play-off Winner B: Ukraine vs. Sweden and Poland vs. Albania
UEFA Play-off Winner C: Slovakia vs. Kosovo and Turkey vs. Romania
UEFA Play-off Winner D: Czech Republic vs. Ireland and Denmark vs. North Macedonia
Intercontinental Play-off Winner 1: DR Congo vs. winner of New Caledonia vs. Jamaica
Intercontinental Play-off Winner 2: Iraq vs. winner of Bolivia vs. Suriname
Follow the draw below!
Pot 1
United States (co-host), Mexico (co-host), Canada (co-host), Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
Pot 2
Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
Pot 3
Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
Pot 4
Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, UEFA Play-off Winner A, UEFA Play-off Winner B, UEFA Play-off Winner C, UEFA Play-off Winner D, Intercontinental Play-off Winner 1, Intercontinental Play-off Winner 2
Keeping biggest names apart
To ensure competitive balance, two separate pathways to the semi-finals have been established when developing the match schedule. In order to have a balanced distribution of the teams, the four highest-ranked teams in the world ranking, when drawn, will have the following constraints: the highest-ranked team (Spain) and the second highest-ranked team (Argentina) will be randomly drawn into opposite pathways, and the same principle will apply to the third (France) and fourth (England) highest-ranked teams. This will ensure that, should they win their groups, the two highest-ranked teams will not meet before the final.
Intercontinental play-off unknowns
For the two intercontinental play-off placeholders, in order to comply with FIFA’s general principle to ensure that no group has more than one team from the same confederation drawn into it, the confederation constraint will be applied to all three teams within each pathway of the two placeholders in Pot 4.
Any restrictions?
According to FIFA, in principle, no group will have more than one team from the same confederation drawn into it. This applies to all confederations except UEFA, which is represented by 16 teams. Each group must have at least one, but no more than two European teams drawn into it.
Pre-determined places
Co-hosts Canada, Mexico and the USA have been assigned to Pot 1 with the nine best ranked qualifiers. They have already been pre-allocated to a group each for scheduling purposes. Mexico have been placed in Group A and will play the opening match of the tournament at the Estadio Azteca on 11 June. Canada and the United States have been placed in Groups B and D, respectively, and will play the third and fourth matches of the tournament the following day.
How the draw works
The 48 teams (including six play-off placeholders) have been sorted into four pots based on their FIFA rankings. One team from each pot will be allocated to one of the 12 groups that form the first stage of this year's expanded World Cup.
Three final games
The German FA have so far confirmed three fixtures in 2026 to allow the team to get ready for the finals. They will host Ivory Coast in Stuttgart on 30 May and then Finland in Mainz on 31 May, before facing co-hosts USA in Chicago on 6 June.
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Germany's road to North America
Qualification was quick for Germany, consisting of only six games across three international windows in 2025. They got off to the worst possible start, suffering a very rare qualifier loss with a 2-0 defeat in Slovakia. But Julian Nagelsmann's side made no mistake after that, winning their remaining five games in Group A against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg to book their place at the finals once again with a 6-0 thrashing of Slovakia in Leipzig last month.
© IMAGO/Frank Hoermann / SVEN SIMON
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Klum & Hart to host
Germany's own Heidi Klum has been confirmed as one of the draw's hosts alongside Kevin Hart. “To be hosting the final draw again, after having been involved in this show 20 years ago in my home country, is truly extraordinary,” said Klum, who took part in the event before Germany hosted the tournament in 2006. “The World Cup brings the world together like nothing else, and being part of that magic again, on an even bigger stage involving three host countries and 48 teams, is an incredible honour.”
© JULIEN DE ROSA
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When is the draw?
US President Donald Trump announced in August that the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. will host the draw on Friday, 5 December. The start was latter confirmed for midday local time (6pm CEST).
© DANIEL SLIM
Welcome!
The big event of 2026 will see 48 nations battle it out in North America for the chance to lift the 23rd FIFA World Cup. Germany are among the teams assured of their place in next summer's finals and will now discover their first three opponents for the group stage.
