The final draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be held today at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., bringing together football officials, national delegations and a star-studded roster of hosts and guests to determine the groups for next summer’s expanded 48-team tournament.
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. ET and will be broadcast globally on multiple platforms, including FOX in the United States. The draw will place the 48 qualified teams into 12 groups of four and reveal the group-stage matchups that will form the backbone of the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA has turned the draw into a major spectacle. Supermodel Heidi Klum and comedian-actor Kevin Hart will co-host the event, joined on stage by actor-producer Danny Ramírez. Former England captain Rio Ferdinand and broadcaster Samantha Johnson will run the sporting side of the show, while sporting icons Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky and Aaron Judge will act as draw assistants. Musical performances are scheduled from Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and the Village People.
The World Cup trophy has been touring Washington ahead of the draw and will be on display at the Kennedy Center as part of the build-up. The event has also taken on a political profile: reports say U.S. President Donald Trump will have a speaking role and is expected to be honoured on stage during the ceremony, an announcement that has drawn attention given the international and diplomatic nature of the event.
Only 42 of the 48 competing nations are confirmed ahead of the draw; six places will be decided in inter-continental playoffs next March. The draw procedure follows FIFA’s published pot and seeding rules designed to balance groups by ranking, host status and confederation constraints. The complete match schedule (stadiums and kick-off times) is expected to be released after today’s draw.
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