US, Mexico, and Canada Draw Favorable Groups in 2026 World Cup
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The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw has been announced, and the co-hosts - the United States, Mexico, and Canada - have received favorable groupings. The US team, which will be led by coach Mauricio Pochettino, has been placed in Group D alongside Paraguay, Australia, and the winner of a European playoff between Turkey, Slovakia, Kosovo, and Romania. This grouping makes it likely for the US team to advance to the round of 32. Mexico, another co-host, has been placed in a group with South Africa, South Korea, and one of Denmark, North Macedonia, Czech Republic, or Ireland, and is expected to progress from the group phase. Canada's group, however, could be challenging, as it includes four-time World Cup champion Italy if it qualifies via the playoffs. Canada has also been drawn with Qatar and Switzerland. The relatively kind draws for the co-hosts can be attributed to the supersized 48-team World Cup format, which has seen the biggest nations kept apart in the initial phase. This has resulted in fewer 'group of death' scenarios. Other notable groupings include France, which has been drawn with Senegal, Norway, and one of Bolivia, Suriname, or Iraq, while England has been placed in a group with Croatia, Ghana, and Panama. Defending champion Argentina has a relatively easy group with Algeria, Austria, and Jordan, while European champion Spain has been drawn with Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay. Despite some potentially challenging groups, the top-seeded teams are expected to advance to the next phase. The 2026 World Cup is set to be a historic tournament, with an exceptional level of competition across all groups.
