KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Today’s the day we learn which countries might play FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage matches in Kansas City.
FIFA is set to announce during a special ceremony on Friday in Washington D.C. which countries will be in which groups for FIFA World Cup 2026.
It’s called the Final Draw, and it’s something KC2026, the committee that’s in charge of organizing Kansas City’s hosting of six matches next June and July, will be following closely.
RELATED | More FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage from KSHB 41
There’s a watch party starting at 9 a.m. at the Power & Light District in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.
The draw, hosted by Conductor Rio Ferdinand, Samantha Johnson, with Red Carpet reporting from Eli Manning, starts at 11 a.m. from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.
Live coverage will be provided on FIFA's website.
The draw will assign 48 counties to 12 different groups. The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off with group stage matches starting Thursday, June 11, with a Group A match featuring co-host nation Mexico hosting a Group A opponent in Mexico City.
LINK | FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Schedule
Canada, which is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup, gets underway with a Friday, June 12, match against a Group B opponent in Toronto.
Co-host United States, assigned to Group D, will kick off their World Cup campaign on Friday, June 12, against a Group D opponent in Los Angeles.
Kansas City is set to host four group stage matches at Kansas City Stadium (that’s what FIFA is calling GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium):
- Tuesday, June 16, will feature a group stage match between two counties assigned to Group J;
- Saturday, June 20, will feature a group stage match between two counties assigned to Group E;
- Thursday, June 25, will feature a group stage match between two countries assigned to Group F;
- Saturday, June 27, will feature a group stage match between two counties assigned to Group J.
To recap, Kansas City World Cup fans will want to pay close attention to which counties are assigned to Groups J, E and F.
On Saturday, Dec. 6, FIFA will announce the World Cup 2026 schedule, when we’ll learn which specific countries will play when and where.
Kansas City is also set to host a Round of 32 match on Friday, July 3, and a quarterfinal match on Tuesday, July 7. We don’t know which countries will play in these matches until after the completion of the Group Stage.
The Kansas City region is also in a position to serve as a "base camp" for as many as three national teams during the World Cup. The counties could base their World Cup operations at one of three locations in Kansas City throughout the tournament. Counties are expected to be announced in early 2026.
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