The stage is set for the 2026 World Cup as the draw takes place in Washington on Friday, with Donald Trump set to play a prominent part in a star-studded ceremony that will mark out the path to glory for contenders at the first-ever 48-team finals.
The most logistically complex World Cup in history will be held across North America from June 11 to July 19, with 16 more teams added to the global showpiece, up from the 32 nations involved in Qatar in 2022.
Friday’s ceremony, which takes place at the Kennedy Center on the banks of the Potomac River from 1700 GMT, reaches far beyond football, with several of the biggest stars in the American sporting world participating while Trump takes centre stage.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has developed a close relationship with Trump, including making several visits to the White House.
Now the US President is expected to be the first ever recipient of the FIFA Peace Prize, which will be awarded during the draw ceremony, “to recognize the enormous efforts of those individuals who unite people, bringing hope for future generations,” as Infantino put it.
Even the choice of draw venue is a nod to Trump, who recently installed himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center, a performing arts venue opened in the 1970s which is just a short walk from the White House.
The ceremony will be co-hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum and American actor and comedian Kevin Hart, and will feature performances by Village People, Andrea Bocelli and Robbie Williams.
NFL legend Tom Brady, ice hockey icon Wayne Gretzky and former NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal will be among the stars helping to conduct the draw.
Trump has made the World Cup a centrepiece event of both his second presidency and the 250th anniversary of US independence next year.
But he has not hesitated to inject domestic politics into the preparations, threatening to move World Cup matches from Democratic-run cities if he deems conditions “unsafe”.
Draw Scenarios and the Big Stars
The list of teams in each pot for the World Cup Draw (FIFA rankings in parentheses):
Pot 1 – United States (14), Mexico (15), Canada (27), Spain (1), Argentina (2), France (3), England (4), Brazil (5), Portugal (6), Netherlands (7), Belgium (8), Germany (9)
Pot 2 – Croatia (10), Morocco (11), Colombia (13), Uruguay (16), Switzerland (17), Japan (18), Senegal (19), Iran (20), South Korea (22), Ecuador (23), Austria (24), Australia (26)
Pot 3 – Norway (29), Panama (30), Egypt (34), Algeria (35), Scotland (36), Paraguay (39), Tunisia (40), Ivory Coast (42), Uzbekistan (50), Qatar (51), Saudi Arabia (60), South Africa (61)
Pot 4 – Jordan (66), Cape Verde (68), Ghana (72), Curaçao (82), Haiti (84), New Zealand (86), UEFA Playoff A winner*, UEFA Playoff B winner**, UEFA Playoff C winner***, UEFA Playoff D winner****, Inter-confederation Playoff Path 1 winner^, Inter-confederation Playoff Path 2 winner^^
*UEFA Playoff A – Italy (12), Wales (32), Northern Ireland, Bosnia & Herzegovina (71)
**UEFA Playoff B – Ukraine (28), Poland (31), Sweden (43), Albania (63)
***UEFA Playoff C – Türkiye (25), Slovakia (45), Romania (47), Kosovo (80)
****UEFA Playoff D – Denmark (21), Czechia (44), Ireland (59). North Macedonia (65)
^Inter-confederation Playoff Path 1 – DR Congo (56), Jamaica (70), New Caledonia (149)
^^Inter-confederation Playoff Path 2 – Iraq (58, Bolivia (76), Suriname (123)
Although each nation has more than 20,000 possible group lineups, predicting the exact outcome is nearly impossible. For example, the United States could draw Australia from Pot 2 as one of the weaker opponents, while a Pot 3 African opponent might seem easier thanks to regional balance, whereas New Zealand (86th in the world rankings) is expected as a desirable opponent from Pot 4.
Even reverse scenarios can create tension: a meeting with Morocco or Croatia from Pot 2 is already among the possibilities, as both teams reached the semi-finals or final in previous tournaments.
In ranking terms, Norway is considered a “tough” opponent in Pot 3, and star striker Erling Haaland is expected to make a significant impact. Ghana from Pot 4 could pose problems for the Americans, particularly in matches between the U.S. and Ghana, which have occurred in previous years.
Among the stars are Lionel Messi, who will be around 39 during the tournament, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be around 41 – both still at the peak of form and capable of featuring in a sixth World Cup for them. Also expected are notable developments around Haaland or young talents such as Lamine Yamá l, who is already drawing the attention of the football world. No less important are the expectations from Kylian Mbappé, who again has the ambition to play in a third consecutive World Cup final.
Equally significant are off-field moments: possible visa requirements, ticketing nuances and overall accessibility of matches in 11 U.S. cities. Expert advice and political debates surrounding the tournament remain part of the main conversation around the World Cup, though they do not diminish the sporting interest in the tournament itself.
The coming weeks are set to bring final decisions on the draw and the allocation of stadiums. The tournament promises to be not only a spectacle on the field but also an event with significant sociocultural impact, uniting fans from around the world around the beautiful game and big dreams.
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