HIBAPRESS – Sports
The eyes of the football arena are turning, with great anticipation, to the American capital, which will host the 2026 World Cup draw ceremony tomorrow, Friday, at the prestigious "Kennedy" center at 17:00 GMT and 18:00 Moroccan time. This year's edition is distinguished by being the first to be jointly organized between the United States, Canada and Mexico, in addition to raising the number of participating teams to 48 teams that will play 104 matches, including 78 in the United States and 13 each in Canada and Mexico.
Details of the draw process and the program of matches
The 48 national teams (including the Moroccan national team) will be distributed into four pots according to the FIFA classification, including the host countries, and then divided into 12 groups. The full schedule of matches, host cities and match timings will be revealed on December 6, one day after the announcement of the draw results. The ceremony will be presented by former English star Rio Ferdinand along with media personality Samantha Johnson, and will be broadcast live via FIFA's official platforms and media partners around the world.
Prominent presence of American sports legends
The ceremony will feature the participation of a selection of the most prominent stars of American sports, in an unprecedented move in the history of the draw, including American football legend Tom Brady, hockey icon Wayne Gretzky, baseball star Aaron Judge, in addition to Shaquille O'Neal, one of the basketball legends. A number of celebrities from the arts and media will also join the ceremony, such as Heidi Klum, Kevin Hart, and Danny Ramirez.
The greatest show in the world is coming. 🏆
Don't miss the Final Draw on Friday. ⏳ pic.twitter.com/AdMCNwto2e
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 3, 2025
Artistic segments and a high-level presence
US President Donald Trump and a number of heads of state will attend the draw ceremony, which will feature major artistic performances, most notably the performance of Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, and a duet bringing together Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, before the "Village People" team concludes the events with the famous song "YMCA".
Historic event with an unprecedented number of visitors
The American authorities expect to receive between five and seven million international visitors during this edition, which they describe as "the biggest sporting event in the history of the United States." The World Cup coincides with the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the country's independence, as one of the tournament matches will be held on July 4 in Philadelphia, the city that witnessed the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Sixteen cities in North America will host the tournament matches, including 11 American cities, while the final match will be held on July 19 in New York (New Jersey).
