Las Vegas set to host 2026 FIFA World Cup draw on December 5 - Report

New Delhi: Las Vegas is set to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw on December 5. According to several reports, this is the second time that the Nevada city will host the tournament's group-stage ceremony. But despite all the speculations, the Sphere will not be hosting the event due to a scheduling conflict.

According to the ESPN report, Las Vegas was chosen over other cities from Canada and Mexico, but FIFA has not yet officially confirmed the date and location. This tournament will be expanded to 48 teams, and they will be divided into 12 groups of four.

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The United States (USA), Mexico and Canada are set to host the tournament in 2026. Las Vegas previously hosted the tournament's draw in 1994; this was also the last time the FIFA World Cup was held in the USA. The biggest-ever edition of the FIFA World Cup will feature 104 matches played across 16 host cities in three countries.

The 11 cities in the USA, including New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston, Miami, Atlanta, Kansas City, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area, will host the tournament. Mexico’s venues include Guadalajara, Monterrey and Mexico City, while Toronto and Vancouver will host the games in Canada.

"I understand it will be in Las Vegas, and that’s where we need to be present", Pedro Cedillo told ESPN, a Pachuca executive involved in World Cup preparations.

As of July 30, only 13 teams have qualified for next year's FIFA World Cup. The co-hosts USA, Mexico and Canada have already been slotted in Groups A, B and D, respectively. The tournament's final is scheduled to be played on 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The other qualified teams are: Australia, IR Iran, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Korea Republic, Japan, Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil and New Zealand.