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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

How does the World Cup 2026 draw work? New tournament format, changes and rankings explained

World Cup Fifa
FIFA president Gianni Infantino holds the World Cup trophy - (AFP via Getty Images)

The draw for the 2026 World Cup takes place today.

Excitement for next summer’s tournament reached a new level when several nations, such as England and France, confirmed their place at the showpiece event during qualification last month.

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