The draw for the 2026 World Cup takes place in Washington on Friday, with Donald Trump set to play a prominent part in a star-studded ceremony that will map the path to glory for contenders at the first-ever 48-team finals.

With the expanded 48-team tournament taking place across the United States, Mexico and Canada next year, debate over ticketing has intensified, with fans expressing frustration over the model.

Any rule changes would have to be approved by the International Football Association Board at its meeting in Wales in February.

The 38-year-old Inter Miami forward said he wants to help Argentina defend its 2022 crown in North America next summer.

The event will start at 11pm, Bangladesh Time, on Friday

FIFA said it will reveal the updated match schedule for the 2026 World Cup in a live global broadcast from Washington on Saturday, nearly 24 hours after the final draw determines the tournament’s unprecedented 12 groups of four.

Iran is to boycott next week's World Cup finals draw in Washington because the United States refused to grant visas to several members of the delegation, the Iranian football federation announced on Friday.

FIFA revealed on Tuesday that the top four seeded nations at the 2026 World Cup will occupy two separate halves of the draw for the expanded 48-team tournament, meaning they could avoid facing each other until the semifinal stage.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo will be able to play his side's opening matches at next year's World Cup after FIFA suspended the final two matches of a three-match ban on Tuesday.

Haiti, the poorest nation in the Americas, is going to the 2026 World Cup -- the culmination of an 18-month period of painstaking work by coach Sebastien Migne who is yet to even visit the country.

With 42 teams punching their tickets after the final wave of direct qualifiers, the race to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has boiled down to six last spots -- four in Europe and two across the rest of the world. The continent playoffs now stand between 22 hopeful nations and football’s grandest stage, setting up a tense March window in Europe and an intriguing intercontinental showdown involving teams from Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania.

A 96th-minute Troy Parrott goal to complete his hat-trick booked Ireland a spot in the playoffs for next year's World Cup with a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over their nearest Group F rivals Hungary in a must-win game in Budapest.

Portugal thrashed Armenia 9-1 in their final Group F qualifier on Sunday to qualify for the 2026 World Cup as group toppers, with Bruno Fernandes leading the charge with a hattrick.

In-form striker Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Spain thrashed Georgia 4-0 away on Saturday to set a national record and all but guarantee their place in next year's World Cup finals.

Coach Didier Deschamps also underlined that reaching the finals was simply where Les Bleus are expected to be.

Reflecting on what another World Cup would mean, Messi called it “special.”

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday said next year's World Cup would be his last as he winds down one of the all-time great careers.

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso on Monday called for "maximum commitment" from his side as the Azzurri's bid to qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup is no longer in their hands.

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed he plans to retire "soon" as the Portugal and Al Nassr star prepares for a tearful end to his glittering career.

"During the last Club World Cup, Messi's team contacted me and offered for him to play in Saudi Arabia because the MLS will stop for nearly four months," Abdullah Hammad, CEO of the Mahd Sports Academy, said during a podcast with Saudi platform Thmanyah.