The 2026 World Cup draw will take place at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. on November 5, in an event that will determine the path for every national team participating in the tournament. With less than a week to go, FIFA has announced that sports icons Rio Ferdinand, Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Aaron Judge, and Wayne Gretzky will lead the ceremony.
As in recent editions, soccer legends have traditionally overseen the draw and handled the process of pulling each team from its respective pot to reveal the matchups and group placements. This time, FIFA has opted for what it calls a “legendary multi-sport lineup“, with former England captain Ferdinand serving as the host of the event.
With the announcement, Ferdinand expressed his gratitude over the granted opportunity. “To conduct this historic draw is an unbelievable honour. As a player, I lived for these global stages – now I’m humbled to play a different, special role together with an incredible line-up to reveal the 12 groups of four teams that the whole world is waiting for,” he said to FIFA official website.
The group will be rounded out by stars from across major North American leagues: the NFL’s Tom Brady, the NBA’s Shaquille O’Neal, MLB’s Aaron Judge, and the NHL’s Wayne Gretzky.
FIFA 2026 World Cup draw lineup.
Alongside the official announcement, all the legends from the different sports spoke with FIFA’s official website, agreeing that the World Cup draw is one of the biggest stages in global sports. In addition, another NFL legend, Eli Manning, will host the red carpet, welcoming all the celebrities attending the ceremony.
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World Cup draw and the performing artists
With 48 teams set to take part in the tournament, the 2026 World Cup draw is expected to be another global spectacle for the largest edition ever staged, drawing interest from around the world. With such a unique opportunity, FIFA has also lined up international artists who will perform during the ceremony.
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli will deliver a special performance at the draw, with global stars Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger also scheduled to take the stage. In addition, after the draw concludes, Village People will return to perform their iconic hit “Y.M.C.A.”
