The football world is getting ready for the 2026 World Cup draw, with President Trump in charge.

 The 2026 World Cup Draw: Simpler Summary

The draw for the 2026 Football World Cup—the biggest global tournament ever—is happening in Washington this Friday. US President Donald Trump is expected to play a major role in the event.

The tournament has been expanded from 32 teams to 48. It will be played across the United States, Mexico, and Canada next year, running from June 11th to July 19th.

Trump's attendance at the ceremony highlights his strong relationship with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino. Infantino has visited the White House several times and even joined Trump at world meetings since the joint North American bid won the right to host the tournament in 2018.

This close connection is why many people expect the US President to be named the first winner of a new FIFA Peace Prize, which will be given out at the draw.

Trump has made the World Cup a key event for both his second time as president and for the 250th anniversary of US independence next year.

However, he has also used the event for domestic politics. He has threatened to move matches away from cities run by the Democratic Party if he decides the conditions there are "unsafe."

The global tensions surrounding the event are clear: Iran has announced it will boycott the draw. This is because US officials would not give visas to several members of the Iranian delegation. The tournament will use 16 venues, 11 of which are in the United States.

The president of the Iranian football federation, Mehdi Taj, said: “We have told the head of FIFA… that it is purely a political position and that FIFA must tell (Washington) to desist from this behaviour.”