The president of the United States, Donald Trumpand the head of the FIFA, Gianni Infantino, confirmed Friday that the raffle for the group stage of the World Cup 2026 It will take place next December 5 in the historic Washington Kennedy Center. It will be one of the most anticipated milestones towards the tournament that will be played in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
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The announcement was made in the Oval Office of the White House, accompanied by members of the Government as vice president JD Vance and the Secretary of National Security, Kristi Noem.
“It is a great honor to bring this world event and this incredible group of people already these incredible athletesthe best athletes in the world, to the cultural center of the capital of our nation, ”Trump said.
An unprecedented draw
The 2026 World Cup will mark a before and after: for the first time in history will compete 48 selections, 16 more than in the editions played between 1998 and 2022. The matches will be held in 16 cities distributed among the three headquarters, from June 11 to July 19, 2026, with the final scheduled at the Stadium of New York – New Jersey.
Trump visited the Kennedy center before the announcement to personally supervise the reconditioning works that his administration executes in the enclosure. “The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest and most complex set of events in the history of sport, and the Kennedy center will provide a phenomenal start,” said the president. By way of comparison, he pointed out that The tournament is equivalent to “organizing several Super Bowl in a short time.”
During the event, Infantino delivered the World Cup trophy to Trump. “It is a trophy that the winners usually touch, like you and how Leo Messiwho was the last to have him in his hands, ”said the president of FIFA. Between laughing, Trump asked if he could keep the cup and suggested that he would keep it in the oval office until the World Cup begins, remembering that something similar did with the Club World Cup trophy held in the United States this summer.
The draw will begin at 12:00 noon, local time, and will be broadcast live to the entire planet by FIFA media partners. Host teams have already taken place insured at the ceremony: Mexico will occupy Group A1, Canada El B1 and the United States on D1according to the calendar published last year.
Of the 48 participants, 42 will be defined for December 5. The remaining six places will be resolved in an intercontinental repetition tournament planned for March 2026. Among the classifieds are historical selections such as Argentina, Brazil, Japan and Australia, in addition to debutants such as Jordan and Uzbekistan.
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