Online Reporter
Sports legends from outside of soccer, including football’s Tom Brady, basketball’s Shaquille O’Neal, hockey’s Wayne Gretzky and current All-Star baseball player Aaron Judge, will assist with the World Cup draw today in Washington, D.C.
FIFA announced on Wednesday the lineup of current and former sports stars as well as entertainers in the event at the Kennedy Center. The show will reveal the group-stage matchups for the first-ever 48-team World Cup.
The World Cup, expanded from 32 teams, is being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Matches will be played at 16 venues, including three in Mexico and two in Canada.
The draw will sort the teams into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-place teams will advance to the knockout stage.
With 42 teams already qualified, 22 others will be competing in playoffs for the final six berths in the coming months. English Premier League Hall of Fame member Rio Ferdinand, a former Manchester United captain with 81 England caps, will conduct the draw. The co-conductor is broadcaster Samantha Johnson.
The four sports legends will serve as assistants, each assigned one pot and picking the names of teams assigned to a group, from Group A to L.
“Soccer has a unique power to unite people from all over the world and create a positive impact, and I cannot wait to see this happening in North America next year and beyond, when we host the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup,” Gretzky, a four-time Stanley Cup champion and record-setting NHL player, said in a FIFA news release.
“I’m thrilled to be part of the draw that will decide the fate of the participating teams — and stir emotions across the world. This will be an unforgettable moment for me personally.”
Brady, who won seven Super Bowls before he retired, is a part owner of the English Championship club Birmingham City. “Being part of the final draw for the FIFA World Cup is an incredible honour — it’s the kind of global stage every athlete dreams of,” Brady said in the news release.
“I’m excited to help set the path for a tournament that brings the world together like nothing else.”
Eli Manning, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants, is the red carpet host for today’s event.—Reuters
