16:50 CET - Flashscore Netherlands’ journalist and football analyst Paul Winters has shared the following insights ahead of the draw from a Dutch supporter’s viewpoint:
"Nothing excites you quite like the World Cup. I’m lucky enough to have seen Oranje make it to the final in my lifetime! This draw is challenging though. The tournament has expanded, but teams have also improved.
"My only hopes are to steer clear of Norway at all costs, and to get Dick Advocaat's Curacao. Regardless, this will be an exciting event. Long live Hollandia!"
It’s clear many fans want to avoid facing Erling Haaland's Norway, who are surprisingly placed in Pot 3 and could be a strong dark horse.
16:30 CET -You may be wondering... How does the draw operate? Which countries are in Pot 1? Are there any restrictions on group formation? And will there be a 'Group of Death'?
All these questions and more are answered in our detailed World Cup Draw Explainer article! Be sure to check it out before the main event at 18:00 CET.
Also, you can reviewwho has already qualified for the World Cup here.
16:00 CET -Only two hours remain until the FIFA World Cup draw kicks off in Washington!
As anticipation and nerves build, it’s worth noting thatFlashscore has reporters on site in the US capital, tracking the lead-up to the eventand providing commentary throughout the day.
Snow is falling in Washington, and everyone is starting to ask: Which teams will my country face in the World Cup group stage?
Need a refresher on how the draw works? Scroll down for all the essential details!
15:00 CET -Today we find out the group stage matchups for next year’s FIFA World Cup in North America, with the draw held at Washington’s Kennedy Center starting at 18:00 CET. We will be providing live updates during the draw so you can discover your nation’s path in the finals.
How does the draw function?
In brief, out of the 48 teams competing in the World Cup, 42 have already qualified, while the final six will be decided through playoffs in March.
The 42 confirmed teams plus the six playoff spots are divided into four seeding pots, mainly based on FIFA rankings. All six playoff winners are placed in Pot 4, no matter which teams secure those places.
See which teams have qualified for the World Cup here.
Teams will be drawn into 12 groups of four, with one team from each pot assigned to each group. The draw starts with Pot 1 teams being allocated to groups A through L, then proceeds with Pots 2, 3, and 4 in sequence.
There are some rules for the draw: no group can have more than two European teams, and no two teams from the same non-European confederation can be drawn together. Additionally, the top two FIFA-ranked teams (Spain ) and ( Argentina) will be placed on opposite sides of the knockout bracket, as will the third and fourth-ranked teams (France ) and ( England).
Here are the pots for the draw:
Pot 1: USA, Canada, Mexico (hosts), 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, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, the four winners of the European Play-Offs, and the two winners of the FIFA Play-Off Tournament
Tune in from 18:00 CET to discover which teams will face each other in football’s biggest competition! Alternatively, watch the draw live on FIFA.com or on FIFA’s official YouTube channel.
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