African teams including Ghana and South Africa now know their group-stage opponents for the 2026 FIFA World Cp, following Thursday’s official draw for the expanded 48-team tournament.
The draw marks the formal start of preparations for the first World Cup to be co-hosted by three nations the United States, Canada and Mexico and the first edition to feature 12 groups of four teams. Under the new format, the top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed teams will advance to the knockout stage.
Global attention was fixed on the draw as traditional giants such as Brazil, Germany, Argentina, France and Spain learned their tournament paths, while rising football nations waited to see whether their groupings could open the door to surprise runs.
The outcomes are expected to spark immediate reaction from coaches, analysts and supporters, with potential “groups of death,” regional matchups and revived rivalries among the key talking points.
FIFA will release the full group-stage schedule including venues and match times across North America shortly after the draw. With the bracket now set, the countdown to what promises to be the biggest and most widely accessible World Cup in history has officially begun.
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