Donald Trump looms over Fifa World Cup draw as it starts countdown to 2026 finals
US president expected to play prominent role as Washington stages draw for the tournament, to be held in the US, Canada and Mexico
The countdown to the first 48-team Fifa World Cup begins in earnest on Friday as the draw for the 2026 finals takes place in Washington, with Donald Trump set to dominate much of the attention.
The most logistically complex World Cup in history will be held across North America from June 11 to July 19, with 16 more teams added to the global showpiece, up from the 32 nations involved in Qatar in 2022.
Friday’s ceremony, at the Kennedy Centre on the banks of the Potomac River, will be a star-studded event, but Trump will take centre stage.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has developed a close relationship with Trump, including making several visits to the White House.
Now the US president is widely expected to be the first ever recipient of the Fifa Peace Prize, which will be awarded during the draw ceremony, “to recognise the enormous efforts of those individuals who unite people, bringing hope for future generations”, as Infantino put it.