Curacao meet giants Germany at World Cup, Haiti face Brazil

Curacao, the smallest nation to ever qualify for a Fifa World Cup with a population of 156,000, have been rewarded with a meeting with four-time champions Germany, whom they will face in their opening match at the 2026 Fifa World Cup which will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the US.

The draw for the showpiece tournament was held in Washington DC on December 5, with coach Dick Advocaat's Curacao team being placed in Group E alongside the Germans, Ecuador and the Ivory Coast. In Concacaf's final-round group towards World Cup qualifying, Curacao topped group favourites Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago to book an automatic qualifying spot.

Another Caribbean qualifier, Haiti, will surely have their hands filled in Group C as they have been drawn alongside Morocco, Scotland and five-time champions Brazil who claimed the coveted crown in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.

Concacaf's other final-round winner Panama have also been placed in a tricky group as they will come up against Croatia, England and Ghana in group L.

Meanwhile, the Reggae Boyz will have to do it the hard way to make it the 2026 World Cup, as they will need to advance from their intercontinental playoff which features Congo and New Caledonia. The winner of that playoff will go into Group K with Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan.

The 48-team spectacle will kick-off with a June 11 meeting between Mexico and South Africa – the two teams which played the opening game at the 2010 edition in South Africa.

Holders and Fifa's number two ranked team Argentina will be in Group J alongside Algeria, Austria and first-time qualifiers Jordan. Fifa's number one ranked team Spain will also come up against a World Cup debutant as they have been drawn in Group H with Cape Verde, as well as Saudi Arabia and two-time winners Uruguay.

Meanwhile, the 2022 runners-up France have been placed in a tasty Group I alongside Norway, Senegal and the winner of a still-to-be-determined playoff which will see Bolivia, Iraq and Suriname fighting for a solitary spot.

Canada have been drawn in Group B alongside Qatar, Switzerland and the winner of a European playoff which features Bosnia Herzegovina, Italy, Northern Ireland and Wales. Meanwhile, the US will be in Group D alongside Australia and Paraguay, with that group set to be completed by the winner of the European playoff which will feature Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia and Turkey.

Fifa World Cup groups:

Group A: Korea Republic, Mexico, South Africa, Winner of playoff D (Denmark/North Macedonia/Czechia/Ireland).

Group B: Canada, Qatar, Switzerland, Winner of playoff A (Italy/Northern Ireland/ Wales/Bosnia Herzegovina).

Group C: Brazil, Haiti, Morocco, Scotland.

Group D: Australia, Paraguay, USA, Winner of playoff C (Slovakia/Kosovo/Turkey/Romania).

Group E: Curacao, Ecuador, Germany, Ivory Coast.

Group F: Japan, Netherlands, Tunisia, Winner of playoff B (Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania).

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand.

Group H: Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Uruguay.

Group I: France, Norway, Senegal, Winner of playoff two (Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname).

Group J: Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Jordan.

Group K: Colombia, Portugal, Uzbekistan, Winner of playoff one (Congo/New Caledonia/Jamaica).

Group L: Croatia, England, Ghana, Panama.