When and where will the 2026 World Cup draw take place: And why isn’t it in a host city?

After much speculation about the date and location of the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw, it’s now confirmed: the event will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, a city that surprisingly won’t be hosting any matches during the tournament.

Although an official announcement from FIFA is still pending, reports indicate that the world-famous Sphere will serve as the venue for the draw that determines the group stage matchups.

When and where will the 2026 World Cup draw take place?

Mexican journalist Gibrán Araige broke the news, revealing that the World Cup group stage draw will be held on Friday, December 5, 2025, in Las Vegas. He also confirmed during an appearance on the news show Despierta that the Sphere—known for its cutting-edge visuals and immersive experience—will host the ceremony.

Las Vegas beat out other candidate cities, including some of the 16 official host cities for the World Cup across North America: 11 in the United States, 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada.

Why isn’t Las Vegas a host city for the World Cup?

Despite its global appeal, Las Vegas was not selected as a host city for the 2026 tournament. One of the main reasons, according to Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, was that FIFA could not guarantee the financial return the city expected. Hosting World Cup matches would have required a significant investment, and the projected revenues didn’t align with that risk.

Additionally, the Allegiant Stadium was deemed unsuitable. Its current field dimensions don’t meet FIFA’s regulations for soccer. Making the necessary modifications would have forced the venue to close for nearly nine months, something stadium operators ultimately declined.