The draw for the expanded 48-nation FIFA World Cup 2026 took place at the Kennedy Center, with the games scheduled across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The event saw the debut of four new teams and included performances and speeches from prominent figures.
The FIFA World Cup draw took place Friday at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The expanded tournament featured 48 nations, including four debuting teams: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistanwill.
The games will be held from June 11 to July 19 at 16 sites in the United States, Mexico and Canada with attendance expected to break records. 11:30 a.m. ET: The World Cup Draw is underway with snow falling in the nation's capital. Two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Eli Manning is hosting the red carpet. Model Heidi Klum and actors Kevin Hart and Danny Ramirez are co-hosting the event and have walked the red carpet. 11:50 a.m. ET: President Trump has arrived at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and walked the red carpet with Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA. 12:05 p.m. ET: World-renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli performed and received a loud applause. Hosts model Heidi Klum and actor Kevin Hart then took the stage. Actor Danny Ramirez, who is co-hosting, spoke to people in the audience.12:15 p.m. ET: FIFA President Gianni Infantino took the stage and welcomed President Trump and the First Lady, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Infantino spoke about how soccer unites the world. 12:25 p.m. ET: English singer and occasional actor Robbie Williams Tony Award and Olivier Award winner Nicole Scherzinger performed the new official FIFA hymn "Desire". 12:30 p.m. ET: FIFA President Gianni Infantino awarded the first ever "FIFA Peace Prize – Football Unites the World" to President Donald J. Trump. The reward recognizes an individual who has taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and, by doing so, have united people across the world.12:45 p.m. ET: FIFA President Gianni Infantino returns to the stage and welcomes Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and President Donald Trump to the stage where they each take their place behind podiums. Each of them spoke about the World Cup and what it means for each of their countries.Group D: United StatesThe remaking group draws: C, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L will be drawn soon.12:53: p.m. ET: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney makes the first ball draw and draws Canada. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum goes next and draws Mexico, followed by President Trump, who draws the United States. Infantino and the three leaders then pose for a photo.1:05 p.m. ET: Singer Lauryn Hill takes the stage with a band singing renditions of her classics "Lost Ones" and "Doo Wop ." 1:25 p.m. ET: Seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady takes the stage to draw from Pot 1.1:35 p.m. ET: Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal takes the stage to draw from Pot 2.1:57 p.m. ET: Hockey's "The Great One," Wayne Gretzky takes the stage to draw from Pot 4.Group A: Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, European Playoff DGroup B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, European Playoff AGroup C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, HaitiGroup D: USA, Australia, Paraguay, European Playoff BGroup E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, CuraçaoGroup F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, European Playoff CGroup H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape VerdeGroup I: France, Senegal, Norway, Intercontinental Playoff 2Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, JordanGroup K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Intercontinental Playoff 1Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, GhanaThe Union of European Football Associations World Cup qualifying playoffs will be held in March with 16 teams vying for four World Cup berths. The teams are divided into four pots according to FIFA rankings.UEFA European playoff teams:Pot 1Republic of Ireland, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, KosovoPot 4 Northern Ireland, North Macedonia, Romania, and SwedenThe final two World Cup qualifiers will be determined by the Intercontinental Playoffs taking place in March in Mexico. The tournament is composed of six teams: one team each from the Asian Football Confederation — Iraq, the Confederation of African Football , — Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the South American Football Confederation — Bolivia, Oceania Football Confederation - New Caledonia, and two teams from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football - Jamaica and Suriname.The four lowest-ranked nations in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will meet in bracket semi-finals with the two highest-ranked teams going directly into the finals. The winners of the two bracket finals will take part in the FIFA World Cup 26.2:10 p.m. ET: The Village People took the stage to perform President Trump's favorite "Y.M.C.A." Many people in the audience danced along to the song and the camera showed President Trump standing and cheering the band on.The Union of European Football Associations World Cup qualifying playoffs will be held in March with 16 teams vying for four World Cup berths. The teams are divided into four pots according to FIFA rankings.UEFA European playoff teams:Pot 1Republic of Ireland, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, KosovoPot 4 Northern Ireland, North Macedonia, Romania, and SwedenThe final two World Cup qualifiers will be determined by the Intercontinental Playoffs taking place in March in Mexico. The tournament is composed of six teams: one team each from the Asian Football Confederation — Iraq, the Confederation of African Football , — Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the South American Football Confederation — Bolivia, Oceania Football Confederation - New Caledonia, and two teams from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football - Jamaica and Suriname.The four lowest-ranked nations in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will meet in bracket semi-finals with the two highest-ranked teams going directly into the finals. The winners of the two bracket finals will take part in the FIFA World Cup 26.The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the first tournament hosted by three countries—United States, Mexico, and Canada—featuring 48 teams playing 104 matches across 16 host cities. Eleven U.S. cities will host the tournament: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The event runs from Thursday, June 11, through Sunday, July 19, 2026
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