Washington, August 23, 2025: US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place at Washington’s Kennedy Center on December 5, calling the tournament “probably the biggest event in sports.”
Standing alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House, Trump said the event’s staging in the US capital underlined America’s central role as co-host of next year’s expanded 48-team championship, alongside Canada and Mexico.
Infantino brought the coveted golden World Cup trophy to the Oval Office for the announcement and even allowed Trump to handle it. “Only the FIFA president, presidents of countries, and winners can touch it. Since you are a winner, you can as well,” Infantino remarked. Trump, smiling as he held the trophy, quipped: “Can I keep it? That’s a beautiful piece of gold.”
The lighthearted moment came after Trump revealed that the Kennedy Center — which he has recently taken charge of in what he termed a fight against “woke” culture — would host the ceremony. “Some people refer to it as the Trump-Kennedy Center, but we’re not prepared to do that quite yet,” he added.
The FIFA chief also presented Trump with a symbolic giant ticket — Row 1, Seat 1 — for the World Cup final on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Trump hinted that Russian President Vladimir Putin could attend the World Cup, noting that the Kremlin leader “wants to be there very badly,” though his attendance would depend on the outcome of ongoing Ukraine peace talks.
Trump said a sweeping federal crime crackdown, including the deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, would ensure safety for fans during the tournament. On visas, he pledged “very easy” access for most supporters, though acknowledged “a little bit more difficult” process for fans from countries under US travel bans, including Afghanistan, Iran, and Haiti.
The United States secured hosting rights for the 2026 World Cup during Trump’s first presidential term in 2018. After losing the 2020 election, Trump returned to power last year. He has since linked the tournament to his broader political agenda, promising infrastructure upgrades and a “beautified” Kennedy Center as part of the preparations.
