Everything you need to know about the World Cup draw

When is it?

The 2018 World Cup group stage draw will take place on Friday, December 1.

Where is it?

The State Kremlin Palace, Moscow, Russia.

Who is involved?

32 teams will participate in football's showpiece next summer, 31 having qualified and Russia automatically gaining a place as hosts.

Who has already qualified?

Russia, England, Brazil, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Belgium, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Germany.

How will the draw work?

The FIFA ranking as of October 16, 2017 will determine what pots the 31 qualified teams will be allocated into. Russia will be joined by the seven highest-ranked teams in Pot 1, with the rest of the teams then allocated pots in descending order of their rankings.

If the draw were to be made today, Pot 1 would include Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland and Russia, while France, Spain, Wales and England would make up part of Pot 2.

The pots will be emptied and each team will be drawn into four-team groups from A to H.

When is the World Cup?

Russia get the tournament underway on Thursday, June 14 2018 and the final will be held a month later on July 15.