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After months of anticipation, the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw on Friday gave us a much clearer picture of how next summer’s tournament — the first staged with a record 48 teams — will play out.

Mexico and South Africa will play the opening match on June 11 in Mexico City.

The UK and Norway have signed a defence pact that will see them operate a combined fleet to hunt Russian submarines in the North Atlantic.

Britain and Norway are set to launch a joint fleet of warships to hunt Russian submarines in the North Atlantic.

Once north of the border, the spies reportedly visited a major fuel refinery in Grangemouth to collect intelligence.

The draw ceremony for the FIFA World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., divided a record 48 teams into 12 groups of four. Six World Cup spots won’t be determined until March, when 22 teams will face off in playoffs.

Follow Daily Mail Sport's live blog of the 2026 World Cup draw as England, Scotland, USA and co are set to learn their group stage opponents from extravagant showpiece in Washington DC .

The United States men's national team has already been placed in Group D as a host and learned its three opponents in the draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.