FIFA Men’s World Cup draw live updates as 2026 groups are revealed with Trump at Kennedy Center event

Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger delivered a rousing performance of FIFA’s official hymn, “Desire,” earning them a standing ovation.

Williams, a FIFA music ambassador, rose to fame with the pop group Take That before launching a blockbuster solo career marked by numerous multi-platinum albums.

Scherzinger, a singer, actress and television personality, is best known as the lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls and a judge on “The Masked Singer.”

The leaders of the three host countries have drawn their names from a “selection” on stage in which was more ceremonial than a random drawing.

Prime Minister Mark Carney picked Canada from Pot 1 to head Group B. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum picked Mexico to head Group A, and President Trump picked the USA to head Group D.

The selections ended with a group selfie with Infantino.

Reigning World Cup champion Argentina’s head coach, Lionel Scaloni, brought out the famed winner’s trophy to the stage. But there’s another trophy catching Futbol fans’ eyes.

The LEGO Group and FIFA have collaborated ahead of the World Cup to create a LEGO version of the trophy.

Launching in March 2026, this first-ever, official 1:1 detailed replica of the world football’s ultimate prize allows fans to bring home a golden piece of the tournament’s magic and display their passion for football.

The buildable trophy is made of 2,842 LEGO pieces and includes a hidden scene which can be opened via a pullable slip in the upper globe section.

Speaking briefly, Mr. Trump said it was a “tremendous honor” to accept the FIFA Peace Prize and to appear with Infantino. He also thanked his wife, the first lady, for her support.

“The world is a safer place now,” he said, insisting the U.S. is the “hottest country anywhere in the world.”

Earlier in the day, the president insisted he didn’t know if he would receive the prize.

A voice of god announcement proclaimed Mr. Trump the recipient of the “Inaugural 2025 FIFA Peace Prize.”

The announcement said football “stands for peace,” and for Mr. Trump’s actions taken to help end conflicts around the globe.

Infantino then welcomed Mr. Trump onto the stage.

“Mr. President, this is your prize, this is your peace prize that is also a beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go,” Infantino said.

Mr. Trump put the medal on immediately, and Infantino read the certificate to the U.S. president.

“Like everyone here in the room we see images of war all over the world. And like everyone, we suffer for every child that dies. We cry with every mother that loses someone she loves. And we want to see hope. We want to see unity. We want to see the future,” Infantino said.

Infantino said he was “lucky” to witness some of the peace agreements Mr. Trump has helped broker.

“This is what we want from a leader, a leader that cares about people,” Infantino said.

In his opening remarks to the Kennedy Center audience, FIFA President Gianni Infantino thanked the leaders of the three host countries – President Trump, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney – for their country’s hospitality as the continent gets ready to host 7 million attendees to these matches.

More than 6 billion people are expected to have access to watch the matches, or as Infantino put it for Americans, “104 Super Bowls at once.”

He ended his opening remarks with audience members from each of the three hosts chanting their countries’ names like they are already in the stands rooting on their teams.

“Something that the Kennedy Center has likely never had before,” says Infantino, which could apply to most of the day’s events.

Singer Andrea Bocelli began the ceremony on Friday by belting out a rendition of “Nessun Dorma” from the opera Turandot. The song has a connection to the World Cup because of its use as theme music by the BBC for the 1990 tournament in Italy.

Other musical performances expected from Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and the Village People.

Four countries are set to make their World Cup debuts this summer. Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan booked their tickets to the largest soccer tournament.

The Caribbean island of Curaçao, an autonomous territory within the Netherlands kingdom, is the smallest nation by population to ever qualify for the World Cup. Cape Verde, the island nation off the coast of West Africa, is the third smallest.

The number of debutants could rise after the playoffs in March. New Caledonia, Suriname, Kosovo and Albania are all in the mix.

Unlike other sports drafts and lotteries (excluding the NFL), the FIFA World Cup Draw is its own spectacle that gets fans to gather at local watering holes to watch and cheer on the expected matchups.

In the Washington, D.C. region, European-style pubs opened their doors early and invited fans to drink and watch the draw.

In the nation’s capital, Elephant & Castle Pub on Penn Ave and The Queen Vic Pub on H Street are both holding watch parties for World Cup viewers. Meanwhile, Ireland’s Four Courts in Arlington, Virginia, is expecting spectators as well.

Watch parties at pubs, breweries, and places of imbibing across North America will be tuned in for the draw.

Standing alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, President Trump said it’s an “honor” to have the FIFA Men’s World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center, and for the U.S. to host the games.

Mr. Trump said Infantino has “done an incredible job,” and there are “record ticket sales.”

“We’re honored to have it here, and it’s been very special,” he said.

The president also claimed he isn’t sure he’s getting a FIFA Peace Prize today.

“I don’t need the prizes,” he said.

The highest-ranked team that hasn’t already qualified for this World Cup is four-time champion Italy, ranked No. 12 by FIFA.

The Italians still have a chance to qualify via UEFA Playoff A, so teams will likely be hoping to avoid being in the same group with that pot 4 placeholder.

In the past, World Cups have included a so-called “Group of Death” — a group that seems unusually difficult following the luck of the draw. With more teams spread out across more groups — and with the pots largely organized in descending order of FIFA rankings — there might not be an obvious Group of Death this time around.

But there is still substantial variance in the quality of teams that could come out of pot 4, which includes the four European playoff winners (which could include Italy and No. 21 Denmark) as well as No. 86 New Zealand and tiny World Cup newcomers Curacao and Cape Verde.

President Trump is expected to receive the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize during the festivities on Friday.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has a close relationship with Mr. Trump, established the peace prize after traveling to several events with the U.S. president.

The award will “recognize exceptional actions for peace,” soccer’s governing body said in November.