WASHINGTON (AP) — Argentina and Lionel Messi will get their start World Cup title defense against Algeria, while the US had to open against Paraguay on Friday as the quadrennial football championship returns to North America for the first time since 1994.
Three-time champions Argentina also play Austria and Jordan in Group J of the sprawling 48-country, 104-match festival across 11 NFL stadiums plus three locations in Mexico and two in Canada.
The ceremony included US President Donald Trump receiving a peace prize awarded by FIFA, and balls with team names picked by famous North American athletes Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Aaron Judge and Wayne Gretzky.
The U.S., which reached the semifinals at the first World Cup in 1930 and the quarterfinals in 2002, opens Group D against Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California. The Americans play Australia six days later in Seattle, after which they will face Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo on June 25 at the SoFi Stadium.
“Full respect,” said American coach Mauricio Pochettino about the Americans’ enemies in the group stage. “But yes, we believe we can continue, but we have to perform. We have to evolve and get better every time we are together.”
Mexico were drawn on June 11 in Mexico City to open against South Africa in Group A, which also includes South Korea and the winner of the play-off matches between the Czech Republic, Ireland, Denmark and North Macedonia. When South Africa hosted the tournament in 2010, they drew Mexico for the opening match and drew 1–1. South Africa then became the first host nation to fail to reach the group stage.
Forty-two of the teams have been determined and 22 will compete in the play-offs for six spots that will be decided on March 31.
Winners and second-place countries from the 12 groups will advance to the new round of 32, along with the top eight third-place teams. All matches from the quarter-finals onwards will take place in the US, culminating in the July 19 final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Specific locations for all group stage matches and kick-off times would be announced on Saturday.
England, who won their only title in 1966, play Croatia, Ghana and Panama in Group L, and five-time champions Brazil meet Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in Group C.
Top-ranked Spain, the 2010 champions, will face Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H, while four-time champions Germany will play Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Group E.
Two-time champions France will play Senegal, Norway and Bolivia, Iraq or Suriname in Group I. Senegal defeated defending champions France 1-0 in the 2002 opener. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, like Messi, has expected to play in a record sixth World Cup, Group K matches against Uzbekistan, Colombia and Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia.
Other groups include:
G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar and Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Wales or Northern Ireland
F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia and Sweden, Ukraine, Albania and Poland
No team has been champion since Brazil in 1958 and ’62 and only eight countries have won football’s biggest prize. Italy has four titles and Uruguay two.
Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan are participating in the tournament for the first time. Curaçao is the smallest country in terms of population to have reached the World Cup, an autonomous area with approximately 156,000 inhabitants within the Dutch kingdom.
Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney selected their own countries’ balls from bowls during a ceremony at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The introductory show lasted almost as long as a football match, with the actual draw for the expanded 48-nation tournament starting in the 87th minute.
On a wintry day with falling snow, football officials and celebrities filled the venue, 189 days before the extensive tournament involving 48 countries and 104 matches.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented Trump with a large gold-colored peace trophy and a gold-colored medal hanging from a blue ribbon that Trump hung around his neck. Infantino stood next to Trump and offered praise.
“This is truly one of the greatest honors of my life,” Trump said.
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