Trump says 2026 World Cup draw to happen at Kennedy Center in DC
Can the US win the World Cup?
After announcing the World Cup draw plans, President Donald Trump asks FIFA President Gianni Infantino if he thinks the US team can win the World Cup next year. Here's what he had to say.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said Friday that the 2026 World Cup draw will take place at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
The draw, which sets the matches for the tournament, is set for 12 p.m. on December 5.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino was on hand for Friday's Oval Office announcement. He handed Trump the FIFA championship trophy, noting it was "only for winners."
FIFA President Gianni Infantino shows U.S. President Donald Trump the World Cup Trophy in the Oval Office as Vice President JD Vance looks on August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
What they're saying:
"The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest, most complex set of events in sports history, and the Kennedy Center will give it a phenomenal kickoff," said Trump, who was wearing a red hat emblazoned with the phrase "Trump was right about everything!"
"We are uniting the world, Mr. President. Uniting the world here, in America. And we're very proud of that," Infantino added.
2026 World Cup task force
The backstory:
In March, President Trump announced the formation of a task force to prepare for the 2026 World Cup, which will bring the globe’s premier soccer tournament to North America.
Pres. Trump talks FIFA World Cup 2026
The United States and North America as a whole will host the next FIFA World Cup in 2026, and President Trump met with several cabinet members to discuss a task force in charge of preparations.
The task force, which Trump will chair, will coordinate the federal government’s security and planning for a tournament that’s expected to draw millions of tourists to the United States, Canada and Mexico.
When is the 2026 World Cup?
Timeline:
The 2026 World Cup will be played at 16 stadiums in the U.S., Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19 next year, a tournament expanded to 48 nations and 104 games. All matches from the quarterfinals on will be in the U.S., with the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
FILE-President Donald Trump speaks alongside President of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Gianni Infantino after unveiling the 2025 Club World Cup trophy in the Oval Office at the White House on March 07, 2025 in Washington,
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How many teams are competing in the 2026 World Cup?
By the numbers:
The World Cup will feature 12 groups of four teams. The teams in each group play each other and the top two will advance to a knockout stage. The eight best third-place teams will also advance. The knockouts will be played from the round of 32 to the final.
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Which cities will host the 2026 World Cup?
Local perspective:
The United States will host games in Arlington, Texas; Atlanta; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxborough, Massachusetts; Houston; Inglewood, California; Kansas City, Missouri; Miami Gardens, Florida; Philadelphia, Seattle; and San Jose, California.
Two Canadian cities will have World Cup games: Toronto and Vancouver, British Columbia.
In Mexico, games will be played in Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Mexico City.
The Source: Information for this story came from the president's comments on Friday along with previous LiveNOW from FOX reporting and the Associated Press. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.