Canada, Mexico, and the US discover their World Cup 2026 groups, revealing tough tests and potential knockout paths on home soil.
North American Hosts Learn Their World Cup Fate
Excitement hit Washington D.C. on Friday as Canada, Mexico, and the United States discovered the teams they’ll face in the 2026 World Cup. The draw, featuring sports legends like Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, and Wayne Gretzky, set the stage for a historic tournament—the first to host 48 nations.
With the group stage now officially defined, fans and analysts alike can start imagining which matches will thrill and which will challenge the host nations the most.
Historic Expansion Sets the Stage
The 2026 World Cup marks a record-breaking expansion from 32 to 48 teams. In 1994, the US hosted just 24 nations, and the tournament only grew to 32 in 1998. Now, with more teams and more games, the stakes—and opportunities—are higher than ever.
The draw itself was intricate. Even the celebrity assistants had to pause to make sense of the permutations, but the results offer a clear glimpse into each host’s potential path to the knockout rounds.
Mexico’s Challenge in Group A
Mexico landed in Group A, facing a tricky opener against South Korea. The Asian powerhouse, led by LAFC star Son Heung-min, went unbeaten in qualifying, conceding just eight goals in 16 games.
Despite recent friendly struggles, Mexico enters the tournament as the strongest of the North American hosts, having won both the Nations League and the Gold Cup in 2025. They’ll kick things off at the iconic Estadio Azteca against South Africa on June 11, with a European play-off winner—Denmark, North Macedonia, Czech Republic, or Republic of Ireland—rounding out the group.
Canada’s Test in Group B
Canada faces an equally solid opponent in Switzerland, who remained unbeaten in qualifying and boasts a tight defense. 2018 World Cup host Qatar joins the group, and a European play-off winner—potentially Italy—could provide another stern challenge.
Jesse Marsch’s squad has shown steady growth, but navigating a group with these experienced teams will test Canada’s World Cup readiness on home soil.
United States: The Favorable Draw
The US drew arguably the easiest group of the three hosts, which comes with its own pressures. Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s team faces Australia from pot two, who qualified with mixed results in Asia, Paraguay from pot three, and a European play-off winner yet to be decided (Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, or Kosovo).
The favorable draw gives the US a strong chance to reach the knockout rounds, where home support and familiarity with venues could be decisive.
Home Advantage Could Tip the Scales
Being a host nation brings more than just passionate fans. Automatic placement in pot one shields Canada, Mexico, and the US from the strongest opponents early on, offering a strategic advantage. While every group has its hurdles, these North American teams have reasons to be optimistic about progressing deep into the tournament.
With the biggest World Cup ever set to kick off on home soil, all eyes will be on the host nations as they navigate challenging, yet potentially rewarding, group-stage matchups.
