The countdown to the first-ever 48-team World Cup intensifies on Friday as Washington hosts the draw for the 2026 finals—an event expected to be dominated by the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Set to be the most logistically demanding tournament in history, the expanded World Cup will feature 16 additional teams compared to Qatar 2022 and will take place across North America from June 11 to July 19.
The draw ceremony at Washington’s Kennedy Center - now chaired by Trump - will be a star-studded affair, co-hosted by Heidi Klum and comedian Kevin Hart, with performances by Village People, Andrea Bocelli and Robbie Williams.
Trump, who has cultivated a close relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, is widely tipped to receive the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize during the event. Infantino has praised the award as a tribute to those “who unite people and inspire future generations.”
Despite Washington being passed over as a match venue, hosting the draw ensures the US capital still plays a role in the tournament. Sports icons Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky and Shaquille O’Neal will assist with the draw, which comes as Trump positions the World Cup as a central feature of both his second term and next year’s 250th US Independence anniversary.
He has also drawn criticism for politicizing preparations, warning he may push to relocate matches from Democrat-led cities he deems “unsafe.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum are also expected to attend. Of the 16 host stadiums, 11 are in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada.
Tensions surfaced ahead of the draw when Iran initially announced a boycott after the U.S. denied visas to parts of its delegation - a move Iranian officials called “political.” Iran later reversed course and confirmed that team representatives, including coach Amir Ghalenoei, will participate.
Reigning champions Argentina head the list of top seeds alongside Spain, Brazil, France, Germany, England, Portugal, the Netherlands and Belgium, with the three host nations rounding out Pot 1. Tournament expansion has opened the door for several debutants such as Cape Verde, Jordan and Curaçao, though not all are pleased with the format - former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter described it as “a monster unleashed.”
The competition will feature 12 groups of four, with 32 teams advancing to the knockout rounds. For the first time, FIFA has structured the draw to keep its four highest-ranked teams - Spain, Argentina, France and England - apart until the semifinals, provided they win their groups.
Six World Cup places remain undecided and will be determined through playoffs, whose winners will join the bottom seed pot - raising the possibility that top teams could face 2006 champions Italy, who missed the last two World Cups.
The tournament will open at Mexico City’s historic Azteca Stadium and conclude with the final at MetLife Stadium near New York. Due to the tournament’s unprecedented complexity, teams will learn their exact venues and kickoff times a day after the draw.
