The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place in Washington on Friday, officially launching the largest edition of football’s global tournament ever staged. U.S. President Donald Trump will attend the ceremony, highlighting the event’s political prominence alongside its sporting significance.
The expanded 48-team competition will unfold across the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026. This format increases participation from the 32 nations that featured in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, broadening the tournament’s global reach.
President Trump’s presence at the Kennedy Centre ceremony reflects his strong relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The two leaders have met repeatedly since North America secured hosting rights in 2018. Sources indicate Trump may receive FIFA’s newly created Peace Prize during the event.
However, political friction surrounds the draw. Iran has announced a boycott after U.S. authorities denied visas to several members of its delegation. Mehdi Taj, President of the Iranian Football Federation, labelled the move a “political position” and called on FIFA to intervene.
Football World Gears Up For 2026 World Cup Draw As Trump Presideshttps://t.co/YEbUSCdF2L pic.twitter.com/GzufndJEvN
— Channels Television (@channelstv) December 3, 2025Domestically, Trump has linked the World Cup to his reelection campaign and the nation’s 250th anniversary. He has also suggested relocating matches from cities under Democratic leadership if he deems them “unsafe,” injecting U.S. politics into the tournament’s planning.
The draw will allocate teams into 12 groups of four. Top seeds include defending champion Argentina, host nations the United States, Mexico, and Canada, alongside football powers Brazil, France, Germany, Spain, England, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
The enlarged format welcomes first-time qualifiers such as Cape Verde, Jordan, and Curaçao. Six remaining spots will be finalised through the upcoming playoffs, with perennially strong Italy still in contention despite a challenging qualification campaign.
Veteran superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, aged 41 at the tournament’s start, has confirmed this will be his sixth and final World Cup, as Portugal seeks its first global title.
The opening match will be held at Mexico City’s historic Azteca Stadium, with the final scheduled for MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Due to the complex three-nation hosting model, teams will receive full match schedules and venues one day after the draw.
Fan groups warn that FIFA’s dynamic ticket pricing could lead to exceptionally high costs for popular matches. On the secondary market, tickets for the final currently start at around $7,000, raising concerns about affordability for supporters.
