The 2026 World Cup draw for tournaments in the United States, Canada and Mexico was an event that was in great danger of missing its true purpose. In the 120-minute program, US President Donald Trump won the FIFA Peace Prize, German supermodel Heidi Klum and co-host Kevin Hart had several awkward exchanges and FIFA President Gianni Infantino called FIFA “the official happiness provided for humanity.”
With only 90 minutes left for the event to begin, the real action of the day began with North American sports stars Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Shaquille O’Neal and Aaron Judge completing the draws, making the football dreams of countries around the world more tangible.
Germany was drawn in Group E with Ecuador, 2023 African Cup of Nations winners Côte d’Ivoire and newcomers Curaçao, who will be Germany’s first opponents in Houston or Philadelphia. If Germany wins its group, it could face France in the round of 16.
Some people make the main attraction
The opening match of the 2026 World Cup will take place on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa.
Infantino, Trump and a peace prize
Between the performances and the montage, the early portion of the show was dominated by Trump receiving the FIFA Peace Prize.
In a longer video, the FIFA Peace Prize was explained as an award given to “individuals who have taken extraordinary action for peace”. It was presented “on behalf of the billions of people who love the game and want peace” and honored “a dynamic leader who has championed the unifying power of football on the world stage.”
Infantino presented Trump with the large gold award and placed a medal around his neck in recognition of his “extraordinary and extraordinary actions” in helping bring peace around the world.
Infantino said Trump definitely deserves the first prize, adding that the US president “can always count on the support of the football community.”
Trump said it was “an honor to be with Gianni” and that the FIFA president had done an “incredible job”. In his brief speech, Trump ended by calling America “the hottest place in the world and we’ll keep it that way.”
Major changes since 1994
This was very different from the previous World Cup draw held in the United States in 1994. That show in Las Vegas was modest compared to today’s performances. Then-US President Bill Clinton was not in attendance and Robin Williams, unsurprisingly, stole the show, but three decades earlier this was all about the United States trying to prove itself as a legitimate soccer nation.
In Washington, D.C., on Friday, the show ran longer, with the U.S. President in apparent attendance and the Village People performing “YMCA”, a song played regularly during Trump’s presidential campaign.
Actually, the show itself isn’t the only thing that’s changed since 1994. The draw also has a new format featuring the two best teams in the world, spain and Argentina, if they win their respective groups, cannot meet each other before the final. The same is true for France and England as FIFA has adopted a similar style of draw to tennis, where the top-seeded players avoid each other until later in the tournament.
It is also unusual that FIFA held a second event 24 hours after this draw to confirm the venues and kick-off times.
The event was as vigorous as expected, but beyond the lights, music and montages, the reality of next summer has dawned for competing countries around the world. For Germany, the chance for redemption looms large after finishing in the group stage of the last two World Cups.
Edited by Shawn Sinico