What does England expect from the 2026 World Cup draw?

(NLDO) - FIFA is facing a lot of criticism ahead of the 2026 World Cup draw (0:00, December 6) because of its ability to "arrange" the group and its ticketing policy that has caused outrage.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw took place in the early morning of December 6 at the Kennedy Center, Washington DC. The most anticipated event in the world of football today brought together the top stars of the field, VIPs of the football world, along with the famous host, former football star Rio Ferdinand.

World Cup returns to North America after 32 years

Instead of just discussing the opponents and how far they can go in the finals in nearly 8 months in North America, fans - especially those in the English football world - are having to focus on two extremely hot issues: the possibility of seeded teams being "placed" in favorable groups and FIFA's ticketing policy.

Draw or arrange?

England are in Pot 1, along with the big boys Brazil, France, Argentina, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal and the three hosts, the USA, Mexico and Canada. The allocation of the remaining teams, along with the schedule and venues, will be confirmed after the draw, opening up speculation about a "soft hand" policy for teams deemed to have high commercial value.

42 teams have officially won tickets, waiting for 6 more representatives to pass the play-off round.

What worries England coach Thomas Tuchel the most is not the strong opponents, but the harsh weather conditions in North America next summer. Assuming England are drawn in a group with Colombia (Pot 2), Erling Haaland’s Norway (Pot 3) and Ghana (Pot 4), the matches could be played in Los Angeles, Miami or even Mexico – all famous for their uncomfortably hot and humid summer climates. This would significantly affect the tempo of pressing play and the players’ ability to maintain fitness.

England are ready to face any challenge, only the weather is a concern.

Thomas Tuchel would prefer later kick-off times and cooler weather on the East Coast of the US or Canada, even if it means England fans have to stay up past midnight. One could imagine England playing Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, which would almost certainly fulfill Tuchel's wishes!

Sky-high ticket prices

Along with the suspicion of "favorable scheduling" for big teams with attractive fans, FIFA is also facing a wave of harsh criticism about its "flexible ticket pricing system". According to the plan, tickets will cost from 60 USD (44.69 GBP) in the group stage to 6,730 USD (5,013 GBP) in the final - and these prices can completely change according to market demand.

Watching the teams compete at the 2026 World Cup promises to be quite a challenge.

A FIFA official admitted: "We will adjust prices based on actual demand, depending on the remaining tickets. Although we have a commitment on starting prices, from day one we have applied a flexible pricing system. We do not intend to change ticket prices every five minutes."

Argentina determined to defend the throne

However, England fans are expected to be the hardest hit, as a large number of British fans are ready to follow England to the US. In addition to individual tickets, hospitality packages have been on sale since May 2025.

Tickets for the eight matches at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey alone, including the final on 19 July, range from $3,500 (£2,606) to $73,200 (£54,490) per person – far beyond the financial means of most spectators.

Which 6 teams will win the final lucky tickets in March 2026?

With the World Cup expanded to 48 teams and 12 groups, the risk of a “group of death” is almost non-existent: 32 teams will advance, including the eight best third-placed teams. It is entirely possible for a team to lose its first two games and still progress as one of the eight best third-placed teams by winning its last game. So for England, this draw is more about curiosity than real risk.

Not everyone in the US was thrilled with the World Cup draw, especially since Washington DC was not chosen as the host city. This is only the third time the host country's capital has not hosted a match - after Bonn in 1974 and Tokyo in 2002. There are some things that even the near-ultimate powerhouse Donald Trump cannot influence,

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tuyen-anh-mong-cho-gi-tu-le-boc-tham-world-cup-2026-196251205074139671.htm