The World Cup Final Draw kicked off at 12:00 PM/ET at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. With a billion viewers expected, the Draw took place in the most American way possible: loud and flashy.
The show was co-hosted by supermodel, producer, and Emmy-winning television personality Heidi Klum, American comedian and producer Kevin Hart, and actor and producer Danny Ramirez. Ramirez had the fun responsibility of speaking to guests in the crowd. From Hugo Sanchez to Roberto Carlos, the funny and sometimes heartfelt exchanges were a delight (and a relief) to football fans. His exchange with U.S. Women’s National Team legend Carli Lloyd gave insight into how special it is to have such a special event here on home soil.
The show began with a jaw-dropping performance by the world-famous Andrea Bocelli. After beginning with a legend, audiences were subject to Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger performing the new FIFA anthem, “Desire”.
The inaugural FIFA Peace Prize was awarded to U.S. President Donald Trump. The president was given the new trophy, a medal, and a FIFA certificate explaining why he received the award.
Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney, Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum, and President Donald Trump joined FIFA president Gianni Infantino on stage to officially kick off the Final Draw.
Just as audiences thought the group assignments would be underway, there was a surprise performance by Lauryn Hill.
Onscreen, Rio Ferdinand was joined by Infantino, Matthew McConaughey, and Selma Hayek-Pinault before he appeared on stage with Klum and Hart. Eventually, Ferdinand was joined onstage by host Samantha Johnson, MLB and New York Yankees star Aaron Judge, NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, and NFL legend Tom Brady. With the stage finally set, the draw was ready to commence.
Tom Brady went through the announcements for Pot 1 while Rio Ferdinand confirmed their spots. Brazil (C1), Germany (E1), Netherlands (F1), Belgium (G1), Spain (H1), France (I1), Argentina (J1), Portugal (K1), and England (L1). After a quick break with Danny Ramirez and Spain legend Iker Casillas, they moved on to Pot 2.
Shaquille O’Neal announced Pot 2, Aaron Judge announced Pot 3, and Wayne Gretzky brought up the rear, announcing Pot 4.
Here are the results:
Americans will focus on Group D, where the United States, a host nation, will face Paraguay, Australia, and the winner of UEFA Play-off C. The teams competing in UEFA Play-off C for the 2026 World Cup are Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo. The U.S. stands a fair chance of not just making it out of the group but winning it. The Americans have played both Paraguay and Australia countless times in friendlies. A strong Türkiye might be a contender, but if you’re a U.S. fan, you have to like your chances.
There was much to chatter about after the results of the draw. The first was the subject of the infamous “Group of Death”. Some argued it was Group H, which featured Spain, debutants Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay. Others debated the difficulty of Group F, led by the Netherlands and featuring Japan and Tunisia. The last spot belongs to the winner of UEFA Play-off B: Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, and Albania.
Meanwhile, Argentina fans were rejoicing loudly as some consider their group a cake walk in comparison to others. The defending champions will take on Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.
The last order of business to handle for the weekend is the World Cup 2026 schedule. The full reveal of match venues and kick-off times for next year’s 104-match tournament will take place in a live global broadcast on Saturday, December 6, at 12:00 PM/ET (18:00 CET) from Washington, D.C. Fans can watch the show at FIFA.com.
It’s hard to pinpoint what this year’s draw will be remembered for. Will somebody outside of the UK finally acknowledge Robbie Williams? Will it be the Village People’s “YMCA” starting before the actual group made it to the stage? Or maybe the sudden issuance of a “Peace Prize”? Either way, FIFA completed the most American World Cup Final Draw show anyone could’ve expected.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Alex Hernandez & Richard Randolph