FIFA World Cup 2026 draw: When and where to watch in India LIVE?
Football enthusiasts in India are eagerly anticipating the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage draw on December 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Tom Brady and Rio Ferdinand will participate in the draw.
Last Updated: 07.46 PM, Dec 04, 2025
Football fans in India are gearing up for one of the most anticipated events in the sport's calendar: the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage draw. Scheduled for Friday, December 5, 2025, this ceremony will slot 48 teams into 12 groups, setting the stage for the expanded tournament across the USA, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. With heightened excitement due to the format change from 32 to 48 teams, the draw promises drama as powerhouses like Brazil, Argentina, and hosts USA learn their paths.
Draw details
The event takes place at the prestigious John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., starting at 12:00 PM ET (5:30 PM GMT).
For Indian viewers, this translates to 11:00 PM IST on December 5, aligning perfectly with prime evening viewing hours.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino will oversee proceedings, potentially joined by US President Donald Trump, adding a layer of pomp.
The draw itself should last around 45 minutes, though the full show may extend longer. Official match schedules follow on December 6 at 12:00 PM ET (10:30 PM IST December 6).
Teams are seeded into four pots of 12 based on the November 2025 FIFA Men's World Rankings. Pot 1 features hosts USA (Group D), Mexico (Group A), and Canada (Group B), plus the top nine-ranked sides.
Remaining pots balance Europe (16 slots), South America (6), Asia/Africa (9 each), and others. Six final spots via the March 2026 playoffs remain open, but 42 nations, including England and Scotland, are confirmed.
Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge and Shaquille O’Neal will all be on stage, with former England captain Rio Ferdinand set to conduct the draw.
Pots
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 to watch in India?
Football fans from India can watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw on JioHotstar, accessible via OTTplay Premium.
On TV, catch it on Sports18 channels (SD/HD) starting at 10:30 PM IST.