World leaders join FIFA president at World Cup draw event

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was front and center at the highly anticipated World Cup draw in Washington DC on Friday afternoon.

Infantino performed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The photo shoot brought together the president of the sport’s international governing body with the leaders of the three host countries for next year’s World Cup.

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Trump, whom Infantino described as his “close friend,” was also awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize about 30 minutes after the special event began on Friday.

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FIFA announced the new award in November and said it would be awarded annually. The award was created “to reward individuals who take outstanding and extraordinary actions for peace and, in doing so, unite people around the world,” the organization said in a press release.

U.S. President Donald Trump receives the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the Official Draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC on December 5, 2025. (Emilee Chinn/FIFA via Getty Images)

A record 48 teams were divided into 12 groups of four in the draw. However, six World Cup slots remain open until March, when 22 teams will face each other in the play-offs. Early round matches were awarded to Canada and Mexico. While Toronto was chosen as the city to host Canada’s opening match, Mexico City, the continent’s largest city in terms of population, will be the venue for Mexico’s opening match.

The tournament will then be shifted to the USA, with the semi-finals to be held in Atlanta and Arlington, Texas. The final will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the New York City area.

From the left; FIFA President Gianni Infantino takes a selfie with President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the 2026 World Cup draws at the Kennedy Center in Washington on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Chris Carlson/AP Photo)

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, NHL legend Wayne Gretzky and NBA star Shaquille O’Neal were among the high-profile sports stars attending the event.

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Argentina and Lionel Messi begin their World Cup title defense against Algeria, while the United States plays its opening match against Paraguay on Friday as the quadrennial football championship returns to North America for the first time since 1994.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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