Fans around the world are about to find out the path for their favorite national teams to the most sought-after trophy in the sport: the FIFA World Cup. Friday’s World Cup Draw will sort the field of 32 men’s national teams into eight groups and the results will have fans talking for days.
The chatter will surround which teams can go deep, which teams can advance from their group, and which will crash out. There will be talk of Groups of Death and lucky draws. There will be hype around the big matchups and the superstar showdowns. It’s all part of the seven-month buildup to the big event that kicks off in November.
That’s why every four years the World Cup Draw continues to attract the fascination of millions around the world and will be met with dramatic (over)reaction by fans everywhere. Can Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) or Lionel Messi (Argentina) win the one trophy they don’t have in what is possibly their final World Cup adventure? Can France repeat? Can anyone stop Brazil? Who will be the Cinderella? Is this the year an underdog can win it all?
We know 29 of the 32 teams that will compete in the event, with three other sports determined in June. But the eight teams vying in the playoffs for those three berths will be locked into the draw along with everyone else.
MORE: The best possible World Cup draw fans could hope for
What time is the World Cup Draw?
- Date: Friday, April 1
- Time: 12 p.m. ET (broadcasts start earlier)
The FIFA World Cup Draw kicks off at…
