U.S. President Donald J. Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino have announced that the draw for the group stage of the 2026 Men's World Cup, a tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be held on December 5 of this year at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
After meeting with Infantino at the White House on Friday, the two confirmed that the Kennedy Center will host "one of the major milestones on the road to the largest and most compelling World Cup in history," FIFA later said in an official statement.
"The Kennedy Center is America's national cultural center and a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, attracting millions of visitors each year to more than 2,000 performances, events, and exhibitions. In December, the iconic World Cup trophy will shine brightly on the grounds," FIFA also noted on its website.
According to the same press release, the world's best national teams will discover "their next steps on their path to the coveted crown" at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, in the final to be played there on Sunday, July 19 of next year.
"Fans from each of the 16 host cities (two in Canada, three in Mexico, and 11 in the United States) will be able to enter a special prize draw for the chance to win free tickets to this unique event, including a VIP experience. A select number of tickets will be allocated to each host city," FIFA said in its statement.
Infantino expressed his excitement about "holding the final draw for the most anticipated World Cup in history in the cultural and entertainment heart of the United States." "The draw is an important milestone for the tournament and will continue the remarkable buildup to the biggest sporting event in history, as we prepare for numerous iconic FIFA events in North America throughout 2026," he added.
"We look forward to welcoming the team delegations, our partners, the international media, and, exceptionally, the fans representing each of the 16 wonderful host cities to the United States capital for this important occasion," concluded the FIFA president.
The draw will begin at 12:00 local time and will be broadcast to the three host countries and worldwide by FIFA's media partners. "Further details of the draw, including broadcast information and the full procedure, will be published shortly," FIFA clarified in a statement, which emphasized that the host teams will be assigned to positions A1 (Mexico), B1 (Canada), and D1 (USA), according to the match schedule published last year.
Finally, the note highlighted that the 76th FIFA Congress will be held in Vancouver, Canada, on April 30, 2026, while the countdown continues for the highly anticipated start of the World Cup at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, scheduled for June 11.
