The 2026 World Cup draw has positioned the co-hosts—the United States, Mexico, and Canada—favorably, potentially paving the way for their progression past the initial stages. The U.S. team, managed by coach Mauricio Pochettino, is grouped alongside Paraguay, Australia, and a European playoff winner, bolstering their prospects to excel in Group D.

The tournament's expansion from 32 to 48 teams minimized the formation of 'groups of death' and distributed top nations more uniformly across groups. This has created fewer immediate challenges for seeds like defending champion Argentina and European champion Spain. Nonetheless, spectacular clashes await, including historic rematches and potential showdowns such as Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo.

Morocco's coach, Walid Regragui, anticipat

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