Trump to Preside as Football World Awaits 2026 World Cup Draw

The global football community is gearing up for Friday’s draw of the 2026 FIFA World Cup — the largest edition in the tournament’s history — with U.S. President Donald Trump expected to play a major role at the event in Washington.

The expanded 48-team competition, up from the 32 nations that competed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, will be staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

Trump’s presence at the Kennedy Center ceremony highlights his close ties with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has made multiple visits to the White House and accompanied Trump to international summits since the North American trio won hosting rights in 2018. That relationship has fueled expectations that Trump will be named the inaugural recipient of a new FIFA Peace Prize during the draw.

The U.S. president has positioned the World Cup as a signature moment of his second term and central to celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary next year. He has, however, injected domestic politics into the buildup, warning he may shift matches from cities led by Democrats if he considers local conditions “unsafe.”

Amid geopolitical tensions surrounding the event — which will see 11 of its 16 stadiums located in the U.S. — Iran has announced it will boycott the draw after Washington denied visas to several members of its delegation.
“We have told the head of FIFA… that it is purely a political position and that FIFA must tell (Washington) to desist from this behaviour,” said Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s football federation.

Expanded Field, Top Seeds, and First-Time Qualifiers

The draw will place contenders — including defending champions Argentina — into 12 groups. Top seeds include Argentina, co-hosts USA, Mexico and Canada, as well as Brazil, France, Germany, Spain, England, Portugal, Netherlands, and Belgium.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 41 when the tournament begins, has confirmed that his sixth World Cup with Portugal will be his last, saying he hopes to cap his storied career with a maiden global title.

The enlarged format also opens the door to debutants such as Cape Verde, Jordan, and Curaçao. Six remaining spots will be determined in playoffs — with Italy, champions in 2006 but absent since 2014, among the teams others will hope to avoid. Despite a shaky qualifying run, the Azzurri can still clinch a place via two sudden-death matches.

The opening game will be held at Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca — which previously hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals — while the final is set for MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.

Because of the tournament’s logistical complexity, teams will only learn their match venues and kickoff times on Saturday, following the draw.

Supporter groups have warned that fans may face steep ticket prices due to FIFA’s dynamic pricing system. On secondary U.S. platforms such as Stubhub and Seatgeek, prices for the final have already surged, starting at around $7,000.

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