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WASHINGTON, D.C. - The eyes of the soccer world will turn to Washington, D.C. today as the city hosts the official draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The event marks a major moment ahead of the largest World Cup in history, which will feature 48 teams playing 104 matches across three countries.
The draw will reveal how the 12 groups are assembled and give fans their first look at each team’s path through the tournament.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy is seen outside the Washington Monument ahead of the FIFA World Cup Draw on Dec. 2, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
What we know:
The draw is a ceremonial but highly anticipated step in the lead-up to the tournament. Representatives from qualified nations, FIFA officials and invited guests will attend the event in the nation’s capital.
This year’s draw is drawing added attention after officials confirmed that President Donald Trump is expected to attend, adding a high-profile political presence to an already globally watched event.
The draw will be broadcast worldwide, allowing fans everywhere to follow along as matchups and groupings are announced.
The draw begins at 12 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. CT / 10 a.m. MT / 9 a.m. PT on Friday, Dec. 5.
Italian former player Marco Materazzi and Sweden former player Martin Dahlin pose next to the results of the draw during the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Play-Off draw at the FIFA's Home of Football in Zurich on November 20, 2025. (Photo by Fabrice C …
How to watch the FIFA World Cup draw
The World Cup Draw is airing live on FOX and is also being streamed on FOX One, FOXSports.com, and the FOX Sports App.
FOX 5 DC and FOX LOCAL will be hosting a show ahead of the draw starting at 11:00 a.m. Friday. The draw itself is not available to watch on FOX LOCAL or on FOX5DC.com.
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Why the draw matters
The draw determines:
- Which teams will face each other in the group stage
- How nations will be geographically placed across host cities
- Potential knockout-round paths
- Travel and training-site expectations for each team
This year’s FIFA World Cup will be the largest ever staged, spanning 16 host cities with 11 in the U.S., three in Mexico and two in Canada.
Celebrity hosts and live performances
FIFA is rolling out a star-studded entertainment lineup to accompany the draw — the final draw will be more than just a balls-in-pots reveal. Hosts for the ceremony will include model/superstar Heidi Klum, comedian-actor Kevin Hart and actor Danny Ramirez.
Star-studded entertainment line-up announced for the Final Draw (Photo: FIFA)
The performances are expected to mix classical, pop and throwback hits: Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli will sing, and pop icons Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger will bring a modern pop presence.
To close out the night, disco legends Village People, known globally for their anthem "Y.M.C.A.," are expected to perform.
Sports officials describe the draw as "the ultimate kick-off event" — not just for the tournament, but for what promoters hope will be a global celebration merging sport, music and entertainment.
Fans tuning in should expect a full production: teams, legends, celebrities and music. Once the draw is complete, the revealed match-ups will launch the countdown to the world’s largest-ever World Cup.
Why DC isn’t a 2026 World Cup host city
Washington, D.C. will host the Final Draw and other major World Cup–related events, but the nation’s capital is not one of the 16 official host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
When FIFA finalized its venue list, D.C. was left out of match hosting after the joint bid between the District and Baltimore was not selected.
What's next:
After the draw, FIFA is set to release additional schedule information, including kick-off times and venue assignments for all 104 matches. Host cities will also begin preparing for team arrivals, training sites and fan-zone plans ahead of the tournament’s June 2026 kickoff.
The Source: This article is based on information from FIFA and reporting from Al Jazeera.