What channel is the World Cup 2026 draw? TV and live stream details as Scotland await tournament fate
Full details of the World Cup 2026 draw, including how to watch and stream the draw live.
Scotland’s World Cup adventure may still be over six months away, but the anticipation for the tournament has already hit fever pitch after the dramatic 4-2 win over Denmark ended their agonising 28-year wait to qualify.
A memorable night at Hampden saw goals from Scott McTominay, Lawrence Shankland, Kieran Tierney, and Kenny McLean fire the nation back to the world stage, and thousands of Tartan Army members have been scouring SkyScanner for the best flights to ensure they are there when Scotland make their long-awaited return to the World Cup.
Held across three different host nations, supporters are desperate not only to discover the team they will be facing at next summer’s World Cup, but also which part of the world the squad will be basing themselves as they look to make it a tournament to remember.
With just hours left until the draw for the competition, we have everything you need to know about the World Cup 2026, including how to watch the draw live, who Scotland could face, and when the fixtures for the tournament are expected to be announced:
When is the World Cup draw 2026?
The World Cup 2026 draw is set to take place in the United States’ capital of Washington DC. Beginning at 5pm UK time, it will take place at the Kennedy Center on December 5, 2025.
When does the World Cup start 2026? Who are World Cup 2026 hosts?
The World Cup will begin on Thursday 11 June 2026 at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca. The tournament is set to be staged across three different countries, with the United States, Canada, and Mexico chosen as hosts the tournament. The final will take place on Sunday 19 July 2026 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, United States.
Where can I watch the World Cup draw?
If you’re looking to tune into the World Cup draw live to discover who Scotland will face as they make their return to the World Cup after 28 years, then you’re in luck as there are plenty of options to watch the draw live.
Supporters from around the world will be able to stream the draw live on FIFA.com, or via FIFA's official YouTube page. BBC Two will also be broadcasting the draw live from Washington DC, meaning you can also stream via the BBC iPlayer app or website (bbc.co.uk/iplayer). This requires a UK TV license and BBC account.
Who could Scotland play in the World Cup?
After securing their place at the World Cup by topping their qualification group, Scotland were placed into pot 3 of the draw for the tournament. This year’s edition of the tournament features an expanded 48-team format, with team splits into 12 groups of four.
With Scotland placed into pot 3, they will face a team from pot 1 (top seeds and hosts), pot 2 (mid-tier powers; could include another UEFA side), and pot 4 (lowest-ranked qualifiers; includes playoff winners).
For clarity, the teams in each pot are as follows:
- Pot 1: Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, USA, Canada, and Mexico.
- Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Japan, Ecuador, South Korea, Uruguay, Switzerland, Senegal, Iran, Austria, and Australia.
- Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European playoff A winner, European playoff B winner, European playoff C winner, European playoff D winner, Intercontinental playoff 1 winner, and Intercontinental playoff 2 winner.
With Scotland, in pot 3, they are guaranteed not to play Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, , Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, or South Africa.
It is important to note that in the group draw, the following rules apply:
- There will be no more than two UEFA teams per group (with 16 European qualifiers across 12 groups).
- There should be no more two teams from the same confederation (except UEFA and hosts).
- Playoff winners (six spots, including four European paths) will be assigned to Pot 4 post-March 2026 matches, potentially including sides like Italy, Turkey, or Ukraine.
When are Scotland’s World Cup fixtures announced?
For the first time in the history of the tournament, the venues, kick-off times and fixtures dates for all 104 matches won't be released on the same day as the draw, meaning Scotland fans won’t fully know the order of fixtures at the time of the draw.
With FIFA aiming to ensure the best locations are picked based based on the time zones, they have announced that details of the match schedule rollout for next year's World Cup will come a day later, with a live broadcast to take place 24 hours after Friday's draw via FIFA’s official YouTube page.
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