World Cup 2026 Draw Date, Pots and Procedures – Who Could Bafana Bafana Face?

The wait is almost over for South African football fans. On Friday, 5 December 2025, the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final Draw will reveal Bafana Bafana’s group opponents for the biggest tournament in history.

With the first-ever 48-team format and 12 groups of four, this draw will determine South Africa’s path to glory on the global stage. Find out how the draw works, which pot Bafana is in, and what it means for their chances at the World Cup.

When and Where Is the World Cup Draw?

• Date: Friday, 5 December 2025
• Venue: Washington DC, USA
• Format: 12 groups of four teams
• Tournament Kick-off: June 2026
• Final: Sunday, 19 July 2026 in New York/New Jersey

The updated match schedule, including stadium assignments and kick-off times, will be released on Saturday, 6 December.

Which Pot Is South Africa In?

The draw will use the FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking published on 19 November 2025 to allocate teams into four pots of 12.

South Africa is in Pot 3, alongside:
Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia.

This means Bafana will avoid these African rivals in the group stage but could face giants from Pot 1 or Pot 2.

Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany

Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia

Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa

Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Off A, B, C and D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 and 2

How Does the Draw Work?

• Pot 1: Hosts Canada, Mexico, USA + top-ranked nations (Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany).
• Pots 2, 3, and 4 follow in order.
• No group can have more than one team from the same confederation, except UEFA (which can have two).

Special constraints ensure top-ranked teams like Spain and Argentina are placed in separate pathways, so they don’t meet before the final.

Why This Matters for Bafana Bafana

The expanded format offers South Africa a real chance to progress beyond the group stage. With 12 groups of four, the top two teams and the best third-placed teams will advance to the knockout rounds. The draw will set the tone for preparations and fan expectations heading into FIFA World Cup 2026™.