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The World Cup 2026 draw hosts and performers as FIFA takes over DC

Singer Robbie Williams poses on the red carpet before the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington
Singer Robbie Williams poses on the red carpet before the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
  • Washington DC is hosting the highly anticipated draw for next year's expanded football World Cup, featuring a spectacle of musical talent and celebrity presenters.
  • The event will see 48 nations, including England and Scotland, discover their group stage opponents for the tournament across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
  • Supermodel Heidi Klum, comedian Kevin Hart, and actor Danny Ramirez are set to host the proceedings from the John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts.
  • Global music stars Andrea Bocelli, Nicole Scherzinger, and Robbie Williams are scheduled to perform, with the iconic group Village People closing the show with “YMCA.”
  • Millions are expected to watch the draw, which will be broadcast live on FIFA’s official website and BBC One from 5pm on Friday, offering a first look at the tournament's structure.
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