FIFA confirmed, on Tuesday (25), the distribution of the 48 teams that will participate in the 2026 World Cup in the four draw pots, scheduled for December 5th at the Kennedy Center, in Washington. The new format provides for 12 groups, which expands the range of possible combinations.
Brazil appears in Pot 1, alongside some of the main powers in world football and the three host countries of the tournament. This guarantees that the team led by Carlo Ancelotti will avoid heavy clashes from the start, at least against elite teams.
2026 World Cup draw pots
Bring 1
- Brazil, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Canada, Mexico and the United States
Bring 2
- Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria and Australia
Bring 3
- Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Africa
Bring 4
- Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand and the six winners of the international playoffs
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Which teams can Brazil face in the group stage?
In a calmer scenario, Brazil could face combinations like Australia, Qatar and Haiti. These teams tend to offer less technical and physical resistance, which would make life easier for the team at the beginning of the tournament.
In this situation, sporting planning would become smoother, allowing the team to gain pace throughout the group stage. Furthermore, a more technically accessible group would help preserve important players for the knockout stages.
Possible Groups from Brazil
Group 1
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Croatia (Bring 2)
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Norway (Bring 3)
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Gana (Bring 4)
Group 2
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Japan (Bring 2)
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Scotland (Bring 3)
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Cape Verde (Bring 4)
Group 3
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Australia (Bring 2)
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Qatar (Bring 3)
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Haiti (Bring 4)
Confrontation rules in the World Cup draw
The possibility of a complicated group arises from the rules defined by FIFA for the draw. Teams from the same confederation cannot fall into the same group, with the exception of Europe, which has 16 places for just 12 groups. This means that four groups will necessarily have two European teams.
This dynamic opens up space for scenarios in which Brazil faces opponents such as Croatia (Pot 2), Norway (Pot 3) and Ghana (Pot 4). The combination would bring together a team that has already eliminated Brazil, Erling Haaland’s powerful team and a traditional African team.
On the other hand, the same rule also allows Brazil to have a lighter path in the first phase, depending on which teams are drawn in the following pots.
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