The draw for the 2026 World Cup is this Friday at 12 PM ET, where we’ll learn which group the 39 qualified countries and three host nations will land in for the international soccer tournament. The 2026 World Cup draw will air live on Fox. Pre-show coverage of the draw begins at 11:30 a.m. The venues and kickoff times for the World Cup group stage games be announced the following day. Tickets for the World Cup are already available.
Here's how to watch the 2026 World Cup draw live, plus what you need to know about buying World Cup tickets, before or after the groupings are announced.
How to watch the 2026 World Cup draw:
Date: Friday, Dec. 5
Time: 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT
Location: Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
TV channel: Fox
Streaming: Fox One, DirecTV, YouTube via VPN and more
When is the 2026 World Cup draw?
The World Cup draw will take place on Friday, Dec. 5. All the group stage venues and kickoff times will then be announced the following day, on Saturday, Dec. 6
2026 World Cup draw start time:
The World Cup draw will officially kick off at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT, though there will be pre-show coverage of the event as early as 11:30 a.m. ET.
What channel is the World Cup draw on?
The World Cup draw will air across Fox networks, including Fox and via the Fox Sports app. Coverage will also likely air on FS1.
How to watch the World Cup draw:
For those with live TV access, you may be able to watch Fox totally free over the air. But if not, here's how we recommend tuning in.
How to watch the World Cup draw for free:
In the U.S., the draw will air on Fox, but globally in many regions, a livestream of the draw will be available to watch via YouTube livestream, totally free. If you don’t have access to Fox, you might want to consider trying a VPN, so you can tune into the World Cup draw free livestream.
Don’t want to navigate a VPN? Many live TV streaming services offer free trials, so you can also tune into the 2026 World Cup draw for free via a free trial.
When is the 2026 World Cup?
The 2026 World Cup begins on June 11, 2026 and runs through July 19, 2026.
Where will 2026 World Cup games be held?
There will be 15 host cities for the 2026 World Cup throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada. They are:
United States
Atlanta – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Boston – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
Dallas – At&T Stadium, Arlington TX
Houston – NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Kansas City – GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Los Angeles – Sofi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Miami – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
New York/New Jersey – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Philadelphia – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
San Francisco Bay Area – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Seattle – Lumen Field, Seattle, WA
Mexico
Mexico City – Estadio Azteca, Coyoacan, Mexico City
Monterrey – Estadio BBVA, Gudalupe, Nuevo Leon
Guadalajara – Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
Canada
Toronto – BMO Field, Toronto, ON
Vancouver – BC Place, Vancouver BC
How to get 2026 World Cup tickets:
Individual match tickets are now available to purchase through the FIFA website. To purchase tickets that are part of a multi-game or hospitality package, you can sign up here to receive more information. In addition, there will also be a final ticket lottery held after this week's draw; fans will be able to submit applications for specific matches once the group-stage matchups have been revealed to try and grab a limited number of lower-priced tickets at select matches. (An exact date for this lottery has not yet been revealed but you can sign-up to receive up-to-date information on the FIFA site.)
When do 2026 World Cup tickets go on sale?
Tickets for the 2026 World Cup are now on sale, though the match schedule doesn't specify team groupings (yet).
Find tickets on FIFA's website Find tickets on StubHubHow much are 2026 World Cup tickets?
Currently, individual tickets for the 2026 World Cup run anywhere from $1,400 to $3,500 (if you're searching for tickets for matches in Mexico or Canada, don't be scared off by their higher price tags — they're all in the same price range after adjusting for conversion rates). Tickets for the group stage, knockout rounds, and the bronze final are currently available. It's important to note that FIFA is employing a dynamic pricing strategy, so prices may fluctuate as we get closer to the tournament, depending on demand. For those lucky enough to enter and be selected in the ticketing lottery, prices are significantly less – they're broken out into four categories based on seating, and range from $60 to $620, but these prices are not available to the general public.
Hospitality packages, which guarantee entry to multiple matches are also on sale now and start at $5,300. (Note that depending on the venue and package you select, some of these packages can cost up to $68,000 per person, and while that price includes food, drinks and premium seating, it doesn't include travel expenses or accommodations.)
Tickets are also available through FIFA's own resale marketplace and on third-party resale sites like StubHub already have single-game matches available, with some starting around $275 per seat and going up from there, depending on the game and venue.
Find tickets on StubHub Find tickets on FIFA's Ticket Resale Marketplace2026 World Cup Schedule
(All times Eastern)
The 2026 World Cup will begin on Thursday, June 11, 2026, and the final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026. You can take a look at the existing schedule here.
Group Stage
June 11 – June 27, 2026
Knockout stage matches
Round of 32: June 28 – July 3, 2026
Round of 16: July 4 – July 7, 2026
Quarterfinals: July 9 – July 11, 2026
Semifinals: July 14 – 15, 2026
Bronze Final (3rd Place Match): July 18, 2026
Final: July 19, 2026
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-watch-the-2026-fifa-world-cup-draw-live-today-120501930.html?src=rss