WASHINGTON, D.C., DORAL, Fla. — Hundreds of soccer fans in Doral watched on Friday with excitement as the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw divided 48 teams into 12 groups of four to define the tournament’s matches next summer in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.

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Before the draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., FIFA President Gianni Infantino awarded President Donald Trump the “FIFA Peace Prize: Football Unites the World” award, which included a trophy and a medal.

“This is truly one of the great honors of my life,” Trump said during his speech.

Related story: Trump’s immigration message is colliding with his welcome to World Cup fans

The draw set the U.S. to face Paraguay, Australia, and the winner of a UEFA play-off C, which will include Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo in March.

Six out of the 48 teams competing have yet to be selected. Four will be from the UEFA play-offs, and two from the FIFA play-off tournament. The semi-finals are on March 26, and the finals on March 31.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney were also at the drawing ceremony.

Mexico is set to face South Africa, South Korea, and the winner of UEFA Playoff D, which includes Denmark, North Macedonia, the Czech Republic, and Ireland.

The tournament’s opener on June 11 will be Mexico vs. South Africa at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

Related story: Mexico optimistic about World Cup chances after group-stage draw

Canada will face the winner of UEFA Playoff A, Qatar, and Switzerland. UEFA Playoff A in March includes Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The FIFA World Cup bronze final will be at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Rodney Barreto, the Miami Host Committee’s co-chair, said he was excited.

“We’re the melting pot of Latin America,” Barreto said during the watch party at the Doral Amphitheater, which has a capacity for more than 4,000.

Lionel Messi’s Argentina, FIFA’s top 2, will face Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. Argentina’s opening game against Algeria is on June 16.

Related story: Argentina and Messi to open World Cup against Algeria

Brazil, FIFA’s top 5 and five-time World Cup champion, will face Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland. Haiti’s coach told the Associated Press that the opportunity to play a game against Brazil was already a victory.

Sandra Saint-Hilaire, the Haitian American founder of SamaSphere Sports, cheered for Haiti from Doral Central Park during the draw. “It’s a tough group. It’s a well-qualified group. We are excited that we have made history, and I am excited that the guys are going to play their best,” Saint-Hilaire said.

Related story: Haiti’s coach: Playing Brazil ‘is a gift’

Colombia, FIFA’s 13th, is in the same group as Portugal, Usbekistan, and the winner of FIFA Playoff 1, which includes Jamaica, New Caledonia, and Congo.

“I think Portugal will be a good team. They have the legend Cristiano Ronaldo,” Danny Ramirez, a Colombian American fan, said from the watch party in Doral.

Uruguay, FIFA’s 16th, is in a group with Spain, the top team on the FIFA ranking, and Saudi Arabia.

Ecuador, FIFA’s 23rd, is in a group with Germany, the Ivory Coast, and Curaçao. Panama, FIFA’s 30th, is in a group with England, Croatia, and Ghana.

Raymond A. Martinez, the COO of the Miami Host Committee, was also at the watch party at the Doral Amphitheater.

“This has been in the making since 2018,” Martinez said about bringing FIFA games to Miami.

The World Cup’s 104 game times from June 11 in Mexico to July 19 in New Jersey will be announced on Saturday.

GROUPS AND FIFA RANKINGS

Pot 1 of the draw

• Spain (1): Group H
• Argentina (2): Group J
• France (3): Group I
• England (4): Group L
• Brazil (5): Group C
• Portugal (6): Group K
• Netherlands (7): Group F
• Belgium (8): Group G
• Germany (9): Group E
• United States (14): Group D
• Mexico (15): Group A
• Canada (27): Group B

Pot 2 of the draw

• Croatia (10): Group L
• Morocco (11): Group C
• Colombia (13): Group K
• Uruguay (16): Group H
• Switzerland (17): Group B
• Japan (18): Group F
• Senegal (19): Group I
• Iran (20): Group G
• South Korea (22): Group A
• Ecuador (23): Group E
• Austria (24): Group J
• Australia (26): Group D

Pot 3 of the draw

• Norway (29): Group I
• Panama (30): Group L
• Egypt (34): Group G
• Algeria (35): Group J
• Scotland (36): Group C
• Paraguay (39): Group D
• Tunisia (40): Group F
• Ivory Coast (42): Group E
• Uzbekistan (60): Group K
• Qatar (51): Group B
• Saudi Arabia (60): Group H
• South Africa (61): Group A

Pot 4 of the draw

• Jordan (66): Group J
• Cape Verde (68): Group H
• Ghana (72): Group L
• Curaçao (82): Group E
• Haiti (84): Group C
• New Zealand (86): Group G
• UEFA Playoff A: Group B
• UEFA Playoff B: Group F
• UEFA Playoff C: Group D
• UEFA Playoff D: Group A
• FIFA Playoff 1: Group K
• FIFA Playoff 2: Group I

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