How do the teams play? Who is their star player? What can we expect from them when the tournament starts?

On Friday, soccer fans across the world will get an answer to the question they have asked for months: Who are we playing in the men’s World Cup?To help prepare you for the World Cup draw, The Athletic made this simulator. It allows you to play out an unlimited number of draws and see all possible groups for the team you support.Your team:United StatesAt your command, it will let you create as many draws as you want. And it will tell you whether the group drawn is particularly weak or strong.We’ll start you off with a random draw:Group AMexicoMexicoTunisiaTunisiaColombia...

The 2026 World Cup draw is expected to begin at noon Eastern time on Friday, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. We will update the results live on this page throughout the draw.Draw starts in 16h, 18 min., 55 sec.Group AMexicoMexicoGroup BCanadaCanadaGroup CGroup DUnited StatesUnited StatesGroup EGroup FGroup GGroup HGroup IGroup JGroup KGroup LPot 1ArgentinaBelgiumBrazilCanadaEnglandFranceGermanyMexicoNetherlandsPortugalSpainUnited StatesPot 2AustraliaAustriaColombiaCroatiaEcuadorIranJapanMoroccoSenegalSouth KoreaSwitzerlandUruguayPot 3...

The Swiss side will be without away fans for their match against Stuttgart in the Europa League league phase on January 29.

Impress your friends with some weird and wonderful knowledge about the countries involved in Friday's World Cup draw

The battles for places in the 2026 World Cup heat up in the coming days with crucial qualifiers in Europe, Africa, Asia and CONCACAF.

The Leeds forward has not played for Switzerland for nearly a year. He spoke exclusively to The Athletic about his frustrations

The Sunderland captain talks leadership, Arteta, Arsenal, the day he was booed off at the Emirates and his new side's aspirations

Madrid are already without Dean Huijsen, Antonio Rudiger, Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold through injury.

The winger speaks to The Athletic about joining Leeds, specialist sprint training, and his World Cup hopes with Switzerland

Another home game, another passionate crowd full of away fans

Look out for these players during the WSL season - some are exciting additions, others have something to prove and one has her own dance

Ndoye became the first Forest player to have two goal involvements in his first two Premier League games since Geoff Thomas in 1998

The Switzerland international spent the second half of 2025-26 on loan at Napoli, playing four games as Antonio Conte's side won Serie A.

Dan Ndoye's career has not been straightforward. But his move to Nottingham Forest is the next step in an exciting journey...

Nuno Espirito Santo is aiming to bolster his wide options this summer as Forest prepare for a return to Europe.

The newly-promoted Premier League club are set to pay Leverkusen €15m up front with a further €5m in potential add-ons.

The Athletic reported on Tuesday Xhaka, 32, was prioritising a move to Sunderland over other suitors.

Ndoye, 24, registered nine goals and six assists in 41 games for Bologna last season.

The host nation may be out of the Euros but their fans have voted with their feet and shown there is a big appetite for the sport to grow