President Donald Trump said Friday that the draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place on Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
He made the announcement with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Vice President JD Vance during an event in the Oval Office.
The United States will join Canada and Mexico next year in hosting the tournament. The draw, set to take place at the Kennedy Center, will decide the World Cup groups and schedule for each team in the initial phase.
Trump has occupied the Kennedy Center, appointing himself as chair while changing the board of trustees to his supporters. He has also suggested he would like the venue’s name to be changed to the Trump/Kennedy Center.
When questioned about possibly drawing the team names himself to determine matchups, Trump entertained the idea, with Infantino seeming to agree, although no final decision has been made.
In an unusual move, Infantino also brought the World Cup trophy with him to the Oval Office.
There is a longstanding belief among national teams worldwide that touching the trophy before winning the tournament can bring bad luck—a superstition almost as old as the World Cup itself.
Even Infantino noted that the trophy is “for winners only,” but then he added to Trump, “And, since you are a winner, of course you can as well.”
The president did just that, remarking, “It’s pretty heavy.”
Trump later described the trophy as “a beautiful piece of gold” and made a light-hearted comment about placing it in the Oval Office, which he has redecorated in an extravagant, gold-themed style.
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