How Does the FIFA World Cup Draw Work? Know All About President Donald Trump’s Latest Venue and Date Revelation for Upcoming Soccer Event

Hard to believe, but the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup is closer than ever. Officially, less than a year remains until the 23rd edition of this prestigious tournament kicks off. Strange as it may be, but it was just a few months ago that the United States hosted a revamped and highly successful 2025 Club World Cup, and now the focus has already shifted to the next big thing. That’s what makes the U.S. such a formidable host nation, backed by North American neighbors Canada and Mexico in co-hosting this quadrennial spectacle.

Yet as the stage is set and the countdown begins, the U.S. faces another crucial task before the year is out. As you know, before any World Cup begins, a draw must take place to decide which of the 48 teams will face each other. While details about this process have been scarce in recent days, it seems we finally have clarity — thanks to two renowned presidents: one of a nation and one of the beautiful game, none other than the U.S.’s Donald Trump and FIFA’s Gianni Infantino.

Where will the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup draw take place?

On August 22, Friday, FIFA leader Gianni Infantino paid a visit to the Oval Office to meet POTUS Donald Trump, carrying the replica version of the Golden trophy to deliver an important announcement for the soccer world. Expressing his honor during the visit, Infantino proudly announced that the FIFA World Cup Final draw will be hosted at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, also known as the “cultural and entertainment heart of the country,” on Friday, 5 December 2025, at 12:00 local time (18:00 CET).

“It’s a tremendous honor to bring this 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,“ Donald Trump said. “The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest, most complex set of events in sports history. And the Kennedy Center will give it a phenomenal kickoff and will be involved.“

Further expressing his gratitude and honor of bringing the biggest international tournament to the home of the US, Gianni Infantino added, “The draw is a major tournament milestone and one that will continue the remarkable build-up to the biggest sporting event ever, as we get set for many landmark FIFA events across North America throughout 2026.”

Initially, it was reported by ESPN earlier that the World Cup draw would take place in Las Vegas. Even Pachuca executive Pedro Cedillo, who has been actively promoting Mexico as a host for World Cup training camps, added, “I understand it will be in Las Vegas, and that’s where we need to be present to provide information about the city of Pachuca, the state of Hidalgo, and the two venues we have.”

Further reports suggested that the famous Sphere arena might have been the venue for the event. While Cedillo’s prediction about the date proved accurate, he was wrong about the location. Either way, the good news is that it’s now confirmed — the draw will take place at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

More information about the draw

Alongside the three host nations, ten teams have already secured their spots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Asia will be represented by IR Iran, Uzbekistan, Jordan, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Australia, while South America sends defending champions Argentina, along with Brazil and Ecuador. From Oceania, New Zealand has also booked its place. Meanwhile, Europe’s contenders remain undecided until the final UEFA qualifying round wraps up later this year.

As for how qualification works, the process is straightforward. FIFA has finalized the allocation of slots among its six continental confederations. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) receives eight direct berths plus one playoff position, while Africa (CAF) will have nine direct entrants and one playoff slot. North and Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF) are granted six automatic places along with two playoff opportunities.

South America (CONMEBOL) also gets six direct entries and one playoff slot, and Oceania (OFC) will have one automatic qualifier plus one playoff berth. Europe (UEFA) leads the way with 16 direct spots. With Canada, Mexico, and the United States occupying three Concacaf places as hosts, 13 teams have qualified so far, leaving 35 spots still up for grabs as the race to 2026 continues.

How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Though the official press release from FIFA mentioned that it will be broadcast worldwide, including in all three host nations, through FIFA’s media partners, further information regarding broadcast and draw procedures will be updated on FIFA.com. Then again, below is the list of channels where fans from each of the co-host nations and the United Kingdom would be able to enjoy the live event: