Draw for 2026 World Cup unveiled

*Trump awarded Fifa's inaugural peace prize for promoting dialogue
*Event held at Washington's Kennedy Center at Trump's urging
*Trump says he has settled eight wars in 10 months
Holders Argentina and leading contenders Spain were handed kind draws for the 2026 World Cup in a star-studded ceremony on Friday which saw US President Donald Trump receive Fifa's new peace prize.
The event in Washington started the final countdown to the tournament, six months out from the first-ever 48-team World Cup, with much-fancied France among those receiving a harder task.
Lionel Messi's Argentina will begin their defence of the trophy they won in Qatar in 2022 against Algeria, and will also face Austria and debutants Jordan in Group J.
Heavily-fancied Spain, the European champions, will kick off their campaign against first-time qualifiers Cape Verde before also taking on Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in Group H.
Thomas Tuchel's England will hope to win Group L that features beaten 2018 finalists Croatia as well as Ghana and Panama.
Two-time winners France, meanwhile, face awkward tests against Senegal and Erling Haaland's Norway in Group I, which will be completed by an intercontinental play-off winner from either Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname.
The 2026 tournament will be held across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, with 16 more teams added to the global showpiece, up from the 32 nations involved in Qatar in 2022.
That means a total of 104 matches, compared to 64 games last time.
While the US will host the majority of matches including the final at the MetLife Stadium outside New York, three of the 16 venues will be in Mexico and two in Canada.

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Co-hosts the United States got a manageable draw, with Paraguay, Australia and a European play-off winner in Group D.
The top two teams in each group advance to the last 32, joined by the eight best third-placed teams.
'It will be the greatest World Cup ever, the greatest event that humanity has ever seen. We have three beautiful countries, 16 wonderful host cities, 48 excellent teams who will compete in 104 matches to become the one and only world champion,' Infantino said.
'This is like 104 Super Bowls in one month — this is the magnitude of what we are organising,' he added of the tournament.
Six finals berths are still to be decided in playoffs to take place in March.
Because of the complexity, teams will only learn the full details of their match venues and kick-off times on Saturday, a day after the draw. — AFP
2026 WORLD CUP DRAW - THE 12 GROUPS:
Group A
Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, a qualifier
Group B
Canada, a qualifier, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C
Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D
United States, Paraguay, Australia, a qualifier
Group E
Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F
Netherlands, Japan, a qualifier, Tunisia
Group G
Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H
Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I
France, Senegal, qualifier, Norway
Group J
Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K
Portugal, a qualifier, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L
England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama