FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Trump and world leaders take center stage at World Cup draw in DC

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was beforehand and halfway astatine the highly anticipated World Cup gully lawsuit successful Washington, D.C., connected Friday afternoon.

Infantino took the signifier astatine the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts alongside President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. 

The photograph op brought the caput of the sport’s planetary governing assemblage unneurotic with the leaders of the 3 big countries for adjacent year’s World Cup.

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U.S. President Donald Trump, poses for a selfie with Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, connected signifier during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw astatine John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts connected Dec. 5, 2025, successful Washington, DC. (Emilee Chinn - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Trump, whom Infantino has described arsenic a "close friend," was besides awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize astir 30 minutes aft Friday’s peculiar lawsuit kicked off.

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FIFA announced the caller prize successful November and said it would beryllium awarded annually. The prize was created "to reward individuals who person taken exceptional and bonzer actions for bid and by doing truthful person agreed radical crossed the world," the enactment said successful a quality release.

U.S. President Donald Trump receives the FIFA Peace Prize from Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw astatine John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts connected Dec. 5, 2025 successful Washington, D.C. (Emilee Chinn/FIFA via Getty Images)

The gully divided a grounds 48 teams into 12 groups of four. However, six World Cup spots stay up for grabs until March, erstwhile 22 teams volition look disconnected successful the playoffs. Canada and Mexico person been assigned the early-round matches. Toronto has been tapped arsenic the big metropolis for the Canadian opener, portion the continent’s largest metropolis by colonisation — Mexico City — volition beryllium the tract of Mexica's opening match.

The tourney volition past displacement to the U.S., with semifinals taking spot successful Atlanta and Arlington, Texas. The last volition beryllium played successful the New York City country astatine MetLife Stadium successful East Rutherford, New Jersey.

From left; FIFA President Gianni Infantino takes a selfie with President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the gully for the 2026 shot World Cup astatine the Kennedy Center successful Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Chris Carlson/AP Photo)

Seven-time Super Bowl victor Tom Brady, NHL fable Wayne Gretzky and NBA large Shaquille O'Neal were among the high-profile sports stars who took portion successful the event.

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Argentina and Lionel Messi volition commencement their World Cup rubric defence against Algeria, portion the U.S. was drawn Friday to unfastened against Paraguay arsenic soccer’s quadrennial title returns to North America for the archetypal clip since 1994.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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