🏆 2026 World Cup: this is how the fixture looked after the draw in Washington

The draw for the 2026 World Cup, held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, officially defined the composition of the 12 groups that will play the first phase of the tournament to be played in  the United States, Mexico and Canada. With 48 teams and an expanded format, the World Cup presents an unprecedented calendar that is already beginning to outline the path of the candidates.

The ceremony left key certainties: the hosts knew in advance their venues and debut dates, while the rest of the selected teams completed their zones in a draw full of expectation.

🇦🇷 Argentina, top seed in Group J

The world champion team was placed in Group J, where it will face Algeria, Austria and Jordan, as confirmed by the official draw.

Fixture de Argentina

• Argentina vs. Algeria – Tuesday, June 16
• Argentina vs. Austria – Monday, June 22
• Argentina vs. Jordan – Saturday, June 27

The team led by Lionel Scaloni will play the group stage in San Francisco, Dallas and Kansas City, according to media present at the ceremony.

With the new format, Argentina will be able to advance to  the 16th finals if it finishes in the top two of its zone or if it is among the eight best third-placed teams.

🌎 The kick-off and the agenda of the hosts

The tournament will begin on June 11 at the Azteca Stadium, where Mexico will debut against South Africa in Group A. A day later it will be the turn of the other hosts:

• Canada will debut in Toronto (Group B).
• The United States will play in Los Angeles (Group D).

The final will be played on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in  New Jersey.

📌 How the most outstanding groups were

The draw also left attractive crossings in other areas, with the presence of emerging powers and teams:

• Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand
• Group H: Spain, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay and Cape Verde
• Group I: France, Senegal, Norway and the winner of the FIFA play-offs
• Group L: England, Croatia, Panama and Ghana

The distribution of teams anticipates a group stage with high-voltage duels and several candidates forced not to fail from the start.

🔍 A World Cup with a renewed format

The 2026 World Cup will be the first with 48 teams, distributed in 12 groups of four. Classified:

• The top two in each group
• The eight best third-placed

This will lead to an unprecedented instance of the 16th finals, expanding the total number of matches and increasing competitiveness in the initial phase.

🎯 Conclusion

The draw left a vibrant outlook for the 2026 World Cup. Argentina will have an accessible group on paper, but with opponents who will demand concentration from the debut. With a defined calendar and confirmed venues, the countdown to a historic World Cup begins due to its magnitude and its new format.

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