It's almost time, the stage is set, and the FIFA World Cup draw is nearly here as on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., every team will find out their group. Last week, FIFA released the final pots for the 48 teams taking part in the World Cup.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — FIFA is weighing up the introduction of new refereeing technologies and stricter timekeeping rules at the 2026 World Cup as it looks to build on trials conducted at this year's Club World Cup in the United States, senior officials said on the eve of the World Cup draw.

Landon Donovan, Alexi Lalas, Stu Holden and Cobi Jones discussed the pressure Mexico faces from their fans and whether they will be able to overcome the pressure of playing at home.

The famously elusive World Cup Trophy has just gotten a playful, yet collectible, makeover in LEGO form. The LEGO Group and FIFA have teamed up ahead of the 2026 tournament to release a full-scale brick replica of the trophy. The set is part of the new “LEGO Editions” series and is already open for preorder.

For our preview on the inter-confederation playoffs, click here.

Alexi Lalas and Cobi Jones discussed story behind why Colombia wasn't supposed to be in the United States' group during the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — FIFA considered Las Vegas as the site for its World Cup draw but logistical issues helped prevent a deal from getting done. The draw instead will take place Friday at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The United States, Canada and Mexico will host the 48-team tournament from June 11-July 19.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 nations for the first time. Here's how the tournament will play out with 16 more teams.

For the playoff tournament teams, the confederation restrictions will be applied to all teams involved in the playoff, which would keep the host nations from drawing a team involved in the FIFA playoff tournament due to Jamaica and Suriname being involved as Concacaf teams.

“Located just north of Dallas, The Westin Stonebriar Golf Resort & Spa offers a peaceful and secure base for national teams. The resort spans 160 hectares, with green spaces ideal for recovery, and features a 24-hour fitness studio, spa, and plenty of modern meeting space for tactical sessions and briefings.”