TThe road to the 2026 World Cup begins with the draw at the iconic John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center in Washington, D.C., where 48 countries will find out their fate in the most important national team tournament. Divide into 12 groups of 4 groups. FIFA has already announced the seeding of the host countries, with Mexico in Group A, Canada in Group B and the United States in Group D.
As always, the event will feature some of the biggest names in the world of sport who have already been approved by FIFA to take part, and this time the host will be former England team captain and Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand, who was quick to express his enthusiasm for being selected.
Cristiano Ronaldo faces robot goalkeeper in impossible scoring challenge
It is an incredible honor to conduct this historic draw. As a player, I lived for these world stages. Now, I feel privileged to be able to play a different and special role with a fantastic line-up that reveals the much-anticipated 4-team 12-group.
Ferdinand will be joined by international commentator Samantha Johnson, and other entertainment personalities including Heidi Klum, Kevin Hart and Danny Ramirez will host the event.
Who will host the 2026 World Cup red carpet and which sports legends will be in attendance?
The red carpet at an event is always an eye-catcher, as it is where the celebrities, athletes, and women in attendance parade. This year, FIFA selected two-time Super Bowl champion and American football legend Eli Manning of the New York Giants to host the gala.
As always, this great event will be attended by some of the FIFA-recognized legends of the world of football, including:
Tom Brady: Seven-time Super Bowl winner with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wayne Gretzky: Four-time NHL Stanley Cup winner Aaron Judge: New York Yankees star, three-time MLB American League MVP Shaquille O’Neal: Four-time NBA champion
International artists and live shows at 2026 World Cup Draw
In addition, the ceremony will feature high-level musical performances by Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, and Village People, and live performances are planned to liven up the event.
The draw will begin on Friday, December 5th at 12pm ET, marking the official start of the 2026 World Cup. It is worth noting that the official schedule, date and venue will be shared on Saturday, December 6th.
