At the end of the year, the draw for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will take place in the US capital, Washington, D.C.
Until recently, media reports had suggested that the venue for the World Cup draw would be the state-of-the-art Sphere concert arena in Las Vegas, a billion-dollar construction project that opened in 2023 and has become a major tourist attraction. The groups for the 1994 final tournament (won by Brazil in a penalty shootout against Italy) were also determined in the gambling metropolis.
However, following the announcement by the US president on Friday, it is now official: the balls representing the 48 nations participating in the World Cup for the first time will be drawn by lucky hands at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
“It’s the biggest, probably the biggest sporting event of all time,” Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, accompanied by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The 79-year-old held a golden World Cup trophy in his hands. Infantino called the draw, which will take place on December 5, 2025, “an important milestone for the tournament.”
The opening match of the World Cup, which will take place next year from June 11 to July 19 in major stadiums, will be held on June 11 in Mexico City at the Estadio Azteca. Argentina is the defending champion. The final will be held on July 19 in East Rutherford near New York. The capital, Washington, will not be a venue.
Germany’s journey to finally be included in the draw begins on September 4 in Bratislava. However, World Cup qualifying Group A, with opponents Slovakia, Northern Ireland, and Luxembourg, is considered a must-win for national team coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team.
Incidentally, only 42 of the 48 participants will have been determined by the time the draw takes place. Six more teams (four from Europe) will secure their tickets in playoff matches in March 2026.