Who will Germany face at the World Cup? The group stage draw will take place in Washington on Friday evening. The two-hour event is not only politically charged but also has significant sporting implications. Follow the action in our live ticker.
The draw for the twelve groups for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico will take place in Washington. 48 teams are participating, including Germany, which is seeded as a group leader.
The show lasts around two hours, with Heidi Klum as host, and musical acts include Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, and Andrea Bocelli. And because the Village People also perform"YMCA," a song appropriated by Donald Trump during his election campaign, one gets the distinct impression that the script was approved by the White House. Stay up-to-date with our live ticker.
7:01 PM: Music again
Even after an hour of the show, the actual draw hasn't started. Instead, US singer Lauryn Hill is now performing.
6:52 PM: Hosts officially placed
What a"coincidence": From a pot containing more than half a dozen balls, the three heads of state each drew their respective country. Of course, these three lots had already been predetermined. The three host countries are the seeded teams in Group A (Mexico), Group B (Canada), and Group D (USA)."This is a shock," Trump said ironically as he drew the US ball. Infantino took a selfie with Carney, Sheinbaum, and Trump before this part of the event was also over.
6:46 PM: Infantino on stage for the third time
In his third appearance of the evening, the FIFA president introduces the first part of the draw. He brings Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Donald Trump (again) onto the stage. Infantino conducts a brief interview with the three before they symbolically draw their countries' balls.
6:41 PM: World Cup trophy carried onto the stage
Trump's speech is over. He leaves his trophy behind. The ceremony is now moving on to the sporting part. Argentina's 2022 World Cup coach, Lionel Scaloni, brings the World Cup trophy onto the stage. He wears white gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints on it.
6:35 p.m.: Trump takes the floor
“It is one of the greatest honors of my life,” Trump said of his award – and added: “We have saved millions of lives.” He cited the conflicts between Rwanda and Congo and India and Pakistan as positive examples in which he had had an impact. Shortly afterward, he also thanked the co-hosts, Canada and Mexico. “The relationship is excellent,” he said.
6:31 p.m.: Trump receives medal and certificate
Infantino is back on stage – and now he's brought Trump along."Mr. President, this is your prize," Infantino says. Trump also receives a medal, which the US president places around his own neck. He also receives a certificate."Like everyone else, I see images of war, and like everyone else, I sympathize," Infantino says – and praises Trump for his peace efforts around the world.
6:28 p.m.: Trump receives the Peace Prize
As expected, FIFA has awarded its newly created Peace Prize to Donald Trump. This award goes"to a person who has made an extraordinary contribution to world peace," according to a FIFA press release. He will receive a specially designed trophy – a golden statue with hands holding a globe. The US president had repeatedly called for the Nobel Peace Prize but was passed over in October.
6:22 PM: Time for music
After the FIFA president's bizarre appearance, Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger brought the audience back down to earth. They performed the World Cup anthem, Desire.
6:18 p.m.: Infantino engages the audience
Infantino engages the audience. He begins by asking, one after the other, if there are any Americans, Canadians, and Mexicans in the room. Then he has the groups shout their countries' battle cries in turn. Fortunately for Infantino, the audience participates in this rather uncomfortable stunt.
6:13 p.m.: Infantino greets the Trumps
Infantino initially receives muted applause. He greets all the football fans, then US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. He also extends his greetings to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Then he addresses the tournament. It will be a"unique World Cup, it will be spectacular."
6:12 p.m.: Klum invites Infantino onto the stage
Hart and Klum begin by recounting their personal World Cup moments. Klum mentions the German World Cup-winning team of 1990. Then she brings FIFA President Gianni Infantino onto the stage.
6:09 PM: A video to get things started
After co-moderator Danny Ramirez briefly gathers some feedback from the audience, a video is shown to get things started. It features legendary scenes from World Cup history.
6:06 PM: Klum in a golden dress
Hosts Heidi Klum and Kevin Hart enter the stage. Klum is wearing a magnificent gold dress. Hart immediately makes a reference to soccer in the USA."I shouldn't say 'soccer' here on stage. The rest of the world calls it football," he says.
6:00 PM: Let the singing begin!
The show starts promptly. Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli opens with a vocal performance, singing the aria"Nessun dorma" from the opera Turandot. US President Trump is captured in the stands alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
5:40 p.m.: Trump speaks shortly before the draw
The US president is also in attendance, of course – and even has time for a brief appearance on Fox News before the draw."The World Cup will be great. We're going to break every record," says Donald Trump. He doesn't want to hear anything yet about the peace prize he's supposed to receive."But it would be a great honor to win it." At Trump's side: FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
5:27 p.m.: Klum in a black outfit
Heidi Klum, who will co-host the show segment with US actors Kevin Hart and Danny Ramirez, is also in attendance. The 52-year-old appears on the red carpet in a black dress."Having already been involved in this show twenty years ago in my home country, it's very special to be hosting the drawing again," Klum said beforehand.
5:07 PM: Nagelsmann is here
The German national coach has made it to the Kennedy Center, as can be seen in pictures from the red carpet. Nagelsmann is eagerly awaiting the group opponents of the German team.
5:02 PM: The World Cup mascots are presented
For the first time at a World Cup, there is a trio of mascots. And Maple the moose (Canada), Zayu the jaguar (Mexico) and Clutch the bald eagle (USA) will get their moment on the red carpet before the draw.
4:40 PM: Guests arrive
The excitement is slowly building. Numerous prominent guests have now arrived on the red carpet at the Kennedy Center, including draw host Shaquille O'Neal, international football legends such as Marcel Desailly (France), Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria), and German World Cup winner Sami Khedira. England manager Thomas Tuchel is also among those who have already posed for photos.
4:18 PM: Watch the draw live
Those who want to watch the event in Washington live can find it on free-to-air television channel ZDF starting at 5:55 p.m. The pay-TV channel MagentaTV begins its coverage at 5:45 p.m. Online, bild.de, among others, will stream the draw for free. The official FIFA website will also be broadcasting it.
3:32 p.m.: Trump receives the Peace Prize
According to a draft of the schedule obtained by Politico, US President Trump will take to the stage at the draw ceremony, where he will accept FIFA's newly created and first-ever Peace Prize. This appears to be a kind of replacement for the Nobel Peace Prize, for which Trump had campaigned quite aggressively and unsuccessfully.
Human Rights Watch has already criticized the peace prize. There is no transparent process, no nominees, no jury, and the prize was apparently new even to the FIFA Council, said HRW Director Minky Worden at a press conference held by various groups in Washington.
That's not the only controversial aspect: Besides Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are also expected to participate in the lottery. It would be the first time Trump and Carney have appeared together since their dispute over a Canadian trade policy advertisement that angered Trump. Sheinbaum and Trump are also scheduled to meet in person for the first time this Friday.
3:14 p.m.: First pictures from Washington
Washington is preparing for the lottery draw with political dignitaries, entertainment stars, and soccer stars at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. It's snowing, and the police are cordoning off the area around the venue.
2:46 PM: Lahm criticizes Nagelsmann
Philipp Lahm has criticized the lack of consistency in the German national football team under head coach Julian Nagelsmann."For me, there have been too many changes, partly due to injuries, but not only that. Now you don't know: Who is the core group, who fits together?" Lahm said in an interview with "Sport Bild".
1:30 p.m.: Nagelsmann's tribute to US sports
Shortly before the draw, Julian Nagelsmann expressed his great fondness for the sports culture in America."What connects me most with the host countries is the great enthusiasm for sports and their athletes. Sport is deeply rooted in society there and is intensively promoted," said the national coach."I enjoy following the major US professional leagues in soccer, American football, ice hockey, and basketball as much as I can."
Nagelsmann will have the opportunity to meet some of the biggest idols in the four major US sports—football, ice hockey, basketball, and baseball—at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Star quarterback Tom Brady, ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, basketball hero Shaquille O'Neal, and still-active baseball star Aaron Judge will draw lots and thus be responsible for Nagelsmann's path to the World Cup.
