​​​​​​​WASHINGTON 

US President Donald Trump announced Friday that the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place on Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

“It’s a tremendous honor to bring the global event, and this incredible group of people and these unbelievable athletes, the best athletes in the world, to the cultural center of our nation’s capital,” he told reporters in the Oval Office, alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“The Kennedy Center will give it a phenomenal kickoff,” he added.

The 2026 World Cup, the first to expand to 48 teams, will be hosted across the US, Mexico and Canada. Eleven US cities will host matches, but Washington is not among them, making the draw the capital’s main showcase.