Donald Trump will preside over the 2026 World Cup draw, receiving a FIFA Peace Prize as the expanded 48-team tournament’s path is set.
WASHINGTON: The global football spotlight turns to the United States capital on Friday for the draw of the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup.
US President Donald Trump is set to play a prominent role in the star-studded ceremony at Washington’s Kennedy Center.
The event will map the route to glory for contenders at the first-ever 48-team finals, to be held across North America from June 11 to July 19.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino will award Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize during the draw.
Infantino said the prize recognises “the enormous efforts of those individuals who unite people, bringing hope for future generations”.
The ceremony will be co-hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum and actor Kevin Hart, featuring performances from Andrea Bocelli and Robbie Williams.
NFL legend Tom Brady and NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal will help conduct the draw for the most logistically complex World Cup in history.
Trump has made the tournament a centrepiece of both his second presidency and next year’s 250th US independence anniversary.
He has previously threatened to move matches from Democratic-run cities if he deems conditions “unsafe”.
Iran initially vowed to boycott the ceremony after the US refused visas to several delegation members, but later reversed its decision.
Reigning champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will be among the top seeds alongside Spain, Brazil and France.
The expansion has allowed first-time qualifiers like Cape Verde and Jordan to reach the global showpiece.
FIFA’s Arsene Wenger called the move to 48 teams a “natural evolution” and “the right number”.
Teams will be split into 12 groups of four, with the top two and eight best third-placed sides advancing to a new last-32 knockout stage.
The draw will ensure the four highest-ranked nations—Spain, Argentina, France and England—cannot meet before the semi-finals.
Six finals berths remain to be decided through playoffs, with Italy among the teams hoping to qualify.
The opening match will be at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, with the final at New York’s MetLife Stadium.
Due to the tournament’s unprecedented scale, full match venue and kickoff details will be confirmed on Saturday. – AFP
