By WILL WEISSERT
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump stated Friday that the draw for the 2026 World Cup will happen on Dec. 5 on the Kennedy Middle in Washington, and didn’t rule out that he himself would possibly oversee the occasion.
“It’s the most important, in all probability the most important occasion in sports activities, I suppose,” stated Trump, who made the announcement in an Oval Workplace occasion the place he was joined by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Vice President JD Vance.
The U.S. is co-hosting subsequent 12 months’s match — which for the primary time will characteristic 48 nationwide groups up from 32 — with Canada and Mexico. The draw occasion will decide the World Cup’s teams, and the video games every staff performs within the opening spherical.
Infantino stated the 48 groups will play “104 matches in a single month” and likened it to “104 Tremendous Bowls.” Trump picked up on that theme, saying, “It’s like having many Tremendous Bowls in a brief time period, as a result of every one in every of these video games, basically, is a Tremendous Bowl. A few of them are greater than Tremendous Bowls, really.”
The World Cup kicks off June 11 on the Azteca Stadium in Mexico Metropolis and runs by means of the ultimate on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Video games will probably be performed in 16 cities throughout the three international locations. Washington, D.C., is just not among the many host cities.
Trump stated that the Kennedy Middle “will give an outstanding kickoff and we’ll be concerned.” Requested if he’d be the one really drawing the staff names, Trump didn’t reply straight however deferred to Infantino, saying the FIFA chief “was the boss.”
Infantino stated, “It’s a really fascinating proposal,” and he indicated that he and Trump would focus on the matter additional.
President Donald Trump, left, shakes the hand of FIFA President Gianni Infantino on the conclusion of an announcement within the Oval Workplace of the White Home, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Picture/Jacquelyn Martin)
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President Donald Trump, left, shakes the hand of FIFA President Gianni Infantino on the conclusion of an announcement within the Oval Workplace of the White Home, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Picture/Jacquelyn Martin)
The selection of venue is fascinating as a result of Trump has taken over the Kennedy Middle, putting in himself as chair and changing the board of trustees with loyalists. He’s additionally hinted he’d prefer to see the venue renamed the Trump/Kennedy Middle.
There had been hypothesis for months that the draw can be held in Las Vegas. The occasion is historically a mixture of leisure and the enterprise of dividing the groups into 12 teams of 4 for the opening stage of the match. When the USA held the World Cup in 1994, the draw was held on the Las Vegas Conference Middle and Stevie Surprise was among the many performers.
In December when the draw is held, 42 of the 48 groups will probably be identified, together with the automated berths given to the USA, Mexico and Canada as hosts. The remaining six groups will probably be decided by playoffs in March.
The president additionally used Friday’s FIFA announcement to boast about his deploying the Nationwide Guard and federalizing Washington’s police power.
“So now, when now we have this lovely occasion in December, it’s going to be very secure,” Trump stated. He added that the FIFA chief “can stroll down the road along with your lovely spouse. You possibly can take her to dinner, if you will get a reservation.”
Requested about followers abroad acquiring U.S. visas to come back watch their groups within the World Cup, Trump at first stated the method can be a clean one, however then added, “Sure international locations are going to be very, very simple, and different international locations are going to be clearly a bit of bit harder.”
A journey ban that the Trump administration imposed in June consists of Iran, which has certified for the World Cup. The coverage makes exceptions for “any athlete or member of an athletic staff, together with coaches, individuals performing a mandatory help position, and instant family members, touring for the World Cup, Olympics, or different main sporting occasion as decided by the secretary of state.” It doesn’t embody an exemption for followers.
In an uncommon transfer, Infantino additionally introduced the World Cup trophy with him to the Oval Workplace. It’s a superstition practically as previous because the World Cup itself: gamers on nationwide groups across the globe consider that touching the trophy earlier than their staff really wins the match on the sector can spark unhealthy luck.
Even Infantino famous that the trophy is “for winners solely,” however then he added to Trump, “And, since you’re a winner, after all you’ll be able to as nicely.”
The president did simply that, calling the trophy “a ravishing piece of gold” and joking about preserving it and displaying it within the Oval Workplace, which Trump has redone in a gaudy, gold-hued decor.
“It matches very nicely proper on the wall over there,” Trump stated.
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