With less than a year to go until kickoff, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is taking shape. On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that the group stage draw for the tournament, which will be hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will take place on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Trump delivered the announcement from the Oval Office during a press conference streamed on YouTube, accompanied by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The major update from the announcement was a change of venue—the draw was originally planned to be held in Las Vegas.
“It’s a great honor to bring this global event, this incredible group of people, and these incredible athletes—the best athletes in the world—to the cultural heart of our nation’s capital,” Trump said. He added, “The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest and most complex sporting event in history, and the Kennedy Center will provide a phenomenal kickoff”.
Infantino also spoke at the event, praising the U.S. for hosting the tournament: “We are bringing the world together, Mr. President, uniting the world here in the United States. And we are very proud of it”. Later in the ceremony, Infantino handed the World Cup trophy to Trump, saying, “Since you’re a winner, of course, you can touch it”.
New format never seen before
The 2026 World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19 across 16 cities, will feature 48 teams—a first in FIFA history. With the expanded field, FIFA has introduced a new tournament format. The group stage will now consist of 12 groups of four teams, replacing the traditional eight groups of four.
Teams will still advance by finishing in the top two of their group, but the eight best third-place teams will also move on to the knockout stage, while the four lowest-ranked third-place teams—along with the bottom teams in each group—will be eliminated.
After the 32 qualifiers for the knockout phase are decided, the finalized Round of 32 bracket will establish the route each team must follow in their bid for the World Cup championship.