First round groups were won by England, France, Croatia, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, and Scotland, earning automatic berths in the 2026 World Cup.

The U.S. men’s national team will reportedly play three top 10 FIFA-ranked teams before their group stage begins.

Explaining the 2026 World Cup draw, including how the seedings and pots work and which teams have already qualified.

Reigning World Cup champions Argentina are in the tournament and the other five automatic qualifying spots have been filled with one matchday to spare in CONMEBOL.

USA ’94 helped birth Major League Soccer (MLS), and with the sport’s popularity surging in the build-up to the 2026 World Cup, there’s scope for the long-term effects on U.S. soccer to be even more significant in the tournament’s aftermath.

Those games will take place after the USMNT’s World Cup squad is named in late May. Unlike some predecessors, who used the first week of a pre-World Cup camp as a final tryout, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino indicated last week that he plans to select his roster before camp opens.

The latest phase of FIFA's ticket lottery process for the 2026 World Cup didn't go as smoothly as some soccer fans hoped.