FIFA 2026 World Cup: 12 Groups Take Shape for Opening Round in June

There are 48 teams playing in the tournament, an increase from 32.Colombia’s Luis Diaz celebrates scoring his side’s second goal against Chile during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying match at the Metropolitano Roberto Melendez stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia, on Oct. 15, 2024. Fernando Vergara/AP Photo12/5/2025|Updated: 12/5/2025WASHINGTON—Following a lot of suspense, the groups and opening matchups for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are set.Argentina will look to defend its title as world champ. Haiti qualified for the first time in 52 years.Jackson Richman is a Washington correspondent for The Epoch Times. In addition to Washington politics, he covers the intersection of politics and sports/sports and culture. He previously was a writer at Mediaite and Washington correspondent at Jewish News Syndicate. His writing has also appeared in The Washington Examiner. He is an alum of George Washington University. Author’s Selected Articles