WASHINGTON — The FIFA World Cup draw Friday will be viewed by millions around the globe, but the high-profile event appears to be tailored to one key player: President Donald Trump.
The celebrity-packed ceremony will determine which national teams are sorted into various groups for the 2026 men’s tournament, resulting in a schedule for most of the 48 countries that will participate. The final slots will be decided by playoff games in the spring.
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The U.S., Mexico and Canada are making history as the first group of three nations to host the World Cup together. While the leaders of each host nation will attend, Friday’s draw will have some distinct Trump rally hallmarks.
Andrea Bocelli, one of Trump’s favorite performers, is set to perform, and the Village People will conclude the draw with Trump’s anthem, “Y.M.C.A.”
It will be held at the Kennedy Center in the nation’s capital, where FIFA President Gianni Infantino will debut the organization’s inaugural “Peace Prize.” The White House hasn’t denied reports that Trump, who hasn’t been shy about his desire for the Nobel Prize of the same name, is set to receive it.
Infantino, who has formed a close bond with him over the last seven years, has profusely praised Trump’s leadership. He even showed up at the Gaza peace summit in Egypt in October and has said Trump “deserves” the Nobel Peace Prize for his “decisive actions” on the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
While Infantino wasn’t able to sway the Nobel committee, FIFA announced its own, brand-new award last month, which is described as a way to recognize “exceptional actions for peace and unity.”
Global politics will be at play, as well. It will be the first time Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Trump have met in person. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will also be there, as both countries navigate pressing disagreements with the Trump administration.
Sports legends Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge and Shaquille O’Neal will serve as draw assistants, per FIFA. Recording artists Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger will sing a duet. Model Heidi Klum, comedian Kevin Hart and actor Danny Ramirez will be co-hosts.
In the run-up to the 1994 tournament, the last time the U.S. hosted, then-President Bill Clinton chose not to attend the draw but did go to the opening ceremony and the first game.
Trump has dedicated a significant amount of time to sporting events in his second term so far, appearing at the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, the NCAA men’s wrestling championship, UFC fights, the FIFA Club World Cup final, the U.S. Open men’s singles final, a New York Yankees game and the Ryder Cup.
But the question of whether the Trump administration’s immigration policies could affect players and those who want to attend matches looms large. The White House has placed travel restrictions on 19 countries, including Iran and Haiti, which have already qualified.
Their fans could be subject to the ban if it remains in effect, and the administration has indicated it may expand to include even more countries. The State Department says it is working closely with people outside the U.S. who have already bought tickets, launching a system known as “FIFA PASS,” meant to expedite wait times for visa appointments and interviews.
More than 1 million tickets have sold for the 2026 World Cup, which starts in June, and revenues for FIFA alone are expected to top $10 billion, according to the London-based agency Pitch Marketing Group.
