The US Men’s National Team will be the host of the 2026 World Cup championships.

The Cabo Verde squad will take on number-one-ranked Spain in their first-ever World Cup match in Atlanta on June 15th.

For a few lucky countries, the FIFA World Cup Final Draw can be a benevolent occasion. For others, however, it can be a brutal test of resolve.

Several teams with local ties, Cabo Verde and Haiti, and two other regional nations, Panama and Curaçao, were drawn into rings of fire.

Friday’s event, held in Washington, D.C.’s John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, brought the empty permutations to life as the tournament’s 48 countries learned who they’ll face after being drawn into 12 four-team groupings.

The World Cup finals, now the largest-ever field up from 32 countries since its last increase in 1998, will be hosted by the USA, Mexico and Canada and run from June 11 to July 19.

Seven matches will be held at Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium, including Haiti’s June 13 Group C match vs. Scotland as “the Tartan Army” makes its first return to the tournament since France 1998.

Haiti was also drawn against five-time champion, but recently struggling, Brazil. Haiti, which qualified in 1974 when it was only a 16-team event, also face Morocco, one of Africa’s top teams and semifinalist at the 2022 event in Qatar.

Cabo Verde’s grouping was less than benign, opening its Group H slate June 15 in Atlanta against Spain, the world’s top-ranked team. The Blue Sharks will also face South American perennial over-achiever Uruguay in Miami and Saudi Arabia in Houston.

For the “minnows,” of which debutante Cabo Verde is considered, there are no easy groupings. Cabo Verde coach Pedro Brito Leitao, or “Bubista,” as he is known, said he’ll have his veteran-laden team ready come what may.

“We want to show people who we are and play with heart, a good attitude and a lot of humility,” said Bubista, who was recently named Africa’s Coach of the Year. “It’s not a matter of being afraid of Spain. It is about enjoying the game against a team we obviously need to be very wary of. It means a lot for us. Everyone will be watching. Our country will be better known around the world. We won our qualifying group and we are very proud to be in our first World Cup.”

Haiti’s French coach, Sebastien Migne, who qualified his team despite never setting foot on Haitian soil and whose team played its home matches some 500 miles away in Curaçao, said he knows of the World Cup perils and that giants occasionally fall to smaller teams.

“We have a group that is not easy because we will play against the legendary team when we talk about the World Cup, which is Brazil, and then against a team that reached the semifinals of the last edition, which is Morocco, so the task is not simple.

“If we want to look at things positively,” Migne added. “It can be said that this is a wonderful opportunity for Haiti to emerge, for our national team to shine and a big reward for our players who will face the best in the world of football.”

The United States got a relatively accessible grouping even though one opponent is yet to be clarified. The USA will play Paraguay, Australia and the winner of a European playoff tournament in March that includes Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo.

The USA, the host-seeded team in Group D, will open June 12 vs. Paraguay at SoFi in Los Angeles. They will play game two in Seattle on June 19 vs. Australia and close out their group play June 25 in Los Angeles.

Curaçao, the Caribbean Dutch nation, is also making its first run at the World Cup finals. The island-nation of 160,000 inhabitants is by far the smallest country by population ever to qualify. It did so at the expense of Jamaica snatching a 0-0 tied in their final qualifier. They were drawn in Group E with Germany, Ivory Coast and Ecuador.

“Three difficult teams for us but in principle every game is difficult,’’ said 78-year-old Dick Advocaat, the legendary Netherlands native who coaches Curaçao. “It is exciting to play there at the highest level and we will see what we can do. One thing is that we have a team of fighters and we are always difficult to beat. It is so exciting for the island, and the people are so proud.

Another historical Dutch country, Suriname, which is in South America but plays in the Caribbean qualifiers, also is in contention and in a playoff with Bolivia. The winner will face Iraq for a final spot. All the playoff games are in March.

Jamaica, also on the outside looking in, clings to hope with a playoff against little-known New Caledonia and the winner will face The Democratic Republic of Congo. The DRC courageously defeated Cameroon (1-0) and then Nigeria in penalties after a 1-1 score in the African playoff that also included Gabon.

“With the USA, Mexico and Canada as host nations and three more spots in our region that were available, you’d think it would be a cakewalk for Jamaica,” said former Jamaican international Andy Williams, who played on the 1998 World Cup team. “But in the (North, Central and Caribbean Confederation) somebody always pops up out of the blue.”

Panama, now returning for its second WC, claimed the region’s other spot. Jamaica was more than a bit unlucky against Curaçao having hit the woodwork on three occasions. The failure of Jamaica’s direct qualification led to the resignation of veteran English coach Steve McClaren. Despite McClaren’s voluminous coaching and playing career, Williams felt he was never the right choice.

“I don’t think it was a good fit for our Jamaican players,” said Williams, also a former New England Revolution player and longtime MLS veteran.

“I think the reason they hired him was of all the English-based players and that he could recruit them. There are rumors of former coaches coming back. (Brazilian) Rene Simoes. (Theodore) Whitmore is another one. I just think you need someone more familiar with Jamaican culture especially with this short window.”

Williams said that for Jamaica to get by New Caledonia and a very unified and mature DRC team, things will have to change very quickly.

“They are not a team,” said Williams. “They don’t play together.

They don’t have that hunger. Instead of looking like they wanted to represent the country in the World Cup it appeared (vs. Curaçao) like it was just another game. Whether you are born in England or not just having the chance to be in the World Cup should be massive. It just didn’t seem at all to be the case.”

Williams said the perceived indifference of the team’s play, by at least some portion of the Jamaican population, has left many angered.

“They are definitely saying that now,” he said. “They are saying just because you are playing in the English Championship (second division) or Premier League makes you a class above the local players. That’s just not the case.”