when are the world cup draw

The next FIFA World Cup draw is scheduled for Friday 5 December 2025, at 12:00 ET (17:00 GMT) at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Quick Scoop

• Date: Friday, 5 December 2025

• Time: 12:00 ET / 17:00 GMT

• Place: Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., USA

• Tournament: 2026 FIFA World Cup in USA, Canada, and Mexico

What happens at the draw?

• Teams are placed into 12 groups of four for the expanded 48-team World Cup.

• 42 qualified teams are drawn on the night; the remaining slots are placeholders for play-off winners.

Why it’s a big deal right now

• This is the first World Cup with 48 teams and 12 groups, so fans and analysts are debating how fair or chaotic the new format will be.

• With the tournament starting on 11 June 2026, the draw is seen as the real kickoff to all the storylines, predictions, and “group of death” arguments on forums and social media.

Simple answer

If you’re just planning your calendar: the World Cup draw is on 5 December 2025, at noon U.S. Eastern time, live from Washington, D.C.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.