Trump announces 2026 FIFA World Cup draw date as December 5, 2025; Says Putin may attend finals
President Donald Trump of the United States of America (USA) has announced that the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place in Washington DC on Friday, December 5, 2025, suggesting also that Russian President Vladimir Putin may attend the World Cup finals, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
President Trump, who made the announcements in the Oval Office, White House, Friday, August 22, 2025, in the presence of the FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, Vice President J. D Vance and other top officials, showed off a photograph of himself and Putin together, stressing that only if circumstances permit, will Putin be in the US for the World Cup finals.
The draw that will set the stage for the biggest single-sport event in world history will take place at the iconic John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C, which, Trump said, is being given a major facelift.
Trump said that it was a tremendous honor to be hosting the World Cup, and noted that the soccer fiesta, which will be watched live by millions of people at the different stadiums, and virtually by billions across the world, will generate more than $30 billion for the US economy.
Assurances were also given that visa processes for those who intend to attend the biggest World Cup tournament ever will be hitch free, that security will be guaranteed and that the cities where the teams will be locking horns, will be given facelifts to ensure a memorable and incident-free event.
Infantino, the FIFA President said that the December 5, 2025 draws will be broadcast live worldwide, and acknowledged that the 2026 world soccer festival, taking place with 48 teams competing in 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with the final match scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, will be the largest, most complex set of events in sports history.
The FIFA boss, at the announcement of the draws date in the Oval Office, also presented Trump with the World Cup trophy, and the first ticket for the soccer show piece, announcing also that ticket sales will start on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
He also invited soccer fans to get ready to begin to buy their tickets and be ready to witness the greatest sports spectacle in world history
