Trump Joins Sheinbaum, Carney in World Cup Draw Kickoff/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump, Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canada’s Mark Carney helped launch the 2026 World Cup draw by picking their nations’ balls onstage. The ceremony at the Kennedy Center featured FIFA’s first peace prize, awarded to Trump. With 189 days until kickoff, the event marked a high-profile start to the expanded 48-nation tournament.
World Cup Draw Quick Looks
- President Trump, President Sheinbaum, and Prime Minister Carney each selected their nation’s ball.
- Event held at the Kennedy Center, Washington, amid tight security and snowy weather.
- FIFA awarded Donald Trump its inaugural Peace Prize at the same ceremony.
- The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 nations and 104 matches.
- U.S., Mexico, and Canada are co-hosts; their teams were pre-assigned to groups.
- Sports legends like Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, and Wayne Gretzky attended.
- The U.S. opens play June 12 in Inglewood; Mexico kicks off June 11.
- Quarterfinals and beyond will be hosted exclusively in U.S. stadiums.
Deep Look: Trump, Sheinbaum, and Carney Launch 2026 World Cup Draw
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The much-anticipated draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup officially kicked off Friday with a political and ceremonial twist, as U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney each took the stage at the Kennedy Center to draw their own nations’ names.
While their selections were largely symbolic — FIFA had already placed co-hosts into specific groups back in February 2024 — the visual moment was loaded with international flair and political symbolism, underscoring the unprecedented tri-nation collaboration behind this year’s 48-team tournament.
Despite the wintry conditions in Washington, excitement buzzed around the Kennedy Center, which was transformed into a high-security venue adorned with FIFA and national flags. Even at 7 a.m., lines of guests, media, and personnel braved the cold, navigating through Secret Service checkpoints.
The draw itself was preceded by another headline-making moment: FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented President Trump with the organization’s first-ever Peace Prize — a newly created award meant to recognize global unity efforts. Trump, wearing a gold medal around his neck and holding a trophy of hands lifting a globe, called it “one of the great honors” of his life.
“This is what we want from a leader — a leader that cares about the people,” Infantino declared, standing beside Trump.
The FIFA Peace Prize added a layer of political drama to an event traditionally focused solely on sport. Critics questioned the move, but Infantino has long emphasized soccer’s power as a unifier — and in this case, extended that symbolism to the world stage.
Back on the draw floor, retired sports icons like NFL legend Tom Brady, NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal, NHL great Wayne Gretzky, and MLB MVP Aaron Judge took part in the proceedings, guided by host and former England captain Rio Ferdinand.
All 11 top-ranked international squads were placed in groups, while No. 12 Italy and 21 other teams will battle for the final six World Cup berths in playoffs scheduled for March 31.
The tournament will officially kick off on June 11 in Mexico City, with the United States starting its campaign a day later in Inglewood, California. Canada will debut in Toronto.
This World Cup, the first to feature 48 teams and 104 matches, will use 11 NFL stadiums across the U.S. as host venues, with all games from the quarterfinals onward taking place in American cities. FIFA plans to announce full match schedules and kickoff times on Saturday.
For the United States, this is a chance to build on its rich but underwhelming World Cup history. The national team reached the semifinals during the inaugural 1930 tournament and has only made it to the quarterfinals once since — in 2002.
As political figures mingled with sports royalty, and amid celebratory glitz, FIFA’s fusion of sport and geopolitics took center stage. With the stage now set, the countdown to the world’s biggest sporting event is officially underway.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.