Standing alongside FIFA chief Gianni Infantino at the White House, Trump described the tournament as “probably the biggest event in sports” and even joked about wanting to keep the golden trophy for himself.
The announcement confirmed that the Kennedy Center in the US capital will host the ceremony on December 5.
The draw for the 48-team football championship will be held at the Kennedy Center in the US capital, where Trump recently installed himself as chairman in what he called a war on “woke” culture.
“It’s the biggest, probably the biggest event in sports,” Trump, flanked by FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, said as he made the announcement in the Oval Office of the White House.
The 2026 World Cup is being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico next year, and Trump has made a big deal about it happening during his presidency.
“It’s a tremendous honor to bring the global event and this incredible group of people and these unbelievable athletes — the best athletes in the world — to the cultural center of our nation’s capital,” Trump said.
The draw will see the 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four and there will be 104 matches – 104 Super Bowls. The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-place teams will advance to the knockout stages.
The makeup of each group is of great interest to soccer fans around the world, making the draw a significant event. How teams fare in group stage play impacts how they advance in the tournament.
The more formidable the group, the more difficult the path. The draw also determines the cities and, in this case, the countries each team and their fans will visit during the group stage.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino joined Trump in the Oval Office and presented him with the winner’s trophy, telling him that very few people are allowed to touch it.
