Yes, you read that right—Donald Trump, Kevin Hart, and Aaron Judge will actually enter a concert hall together. They’ll be among numerous celebrities, prominent athletes, and world leaders attending the Kennedy Center on Friday for the World Cup draw. This event marks the start of the countdown to the tournament, set to kick off in Mexico City on June 11.
The celebrity lineup features three heads of state: Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, along with others like Shaquille O’Neal, Tom Brady, Judge, the Village People, and singer Andrea Bocelli.
There’s a strong sports theme at play here. This post aims to cover everything you need to know about the lottery happening at noon, broadcasted on Fox.
How is the lottery conducted?
Think of it as Selection Sunday. After this draw, we’ll know the group stage matchups for the World Cup, and we’ll also understand each team’s chances of advancing based on their group rankings.
For instance, if England finds itself in Group B alongside Morocco, Algeria, and Haiti, they’ll face those teams. If they come out on top, they would advance to play the third-place team from Groups E, F, G, I, or J in the Round of 32.
Who can play against whom?
There are four pots, with each of the 12 groups formed on Friday consisting of one team from each pot. Here’s how the pots are organized:
Pot 1: USA, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Argentina, France, UK, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany
Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Playoffs A-D, FIFA Playoffs 1-2
What is the format of the group? How do I proceed?
Each team plays the other three in a round-robin format. A win counts for 3 points, a draw for 1 point, and a loss for 0. The top two teams from each group will move on, along with the top eight third-place teams. Rankings among third-place teams will then depend on goal difference and points accrued.
Is it any different from a 48-team World Cup?
Yes, significantly. In prior formats, only the top two teams in each group advanced, and groups featured just eight teams. This expansion means an extra 16 teams will now move on to the knockout stage, resulting in a new Round of 32 alongside the Round of 16.
Why is it at the Kennedy Center?
That’s a bit intricate, but it really comes down to funding and logistics.
What are all these celebrities doing there?
Officially, Rio Ferdinand will lead the draw alongside broadcaster Samantha Johnson, with Brady, Gretzky, Judge, and O’Neal serving as “draw assistants.” Eli Manning will host the red carpet, while Kevin Hart, Heidi Klum, and Danny Ramirez will oversee the event, which will feature performances by Andrea Bocelli, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams, the Village People, and others.
Unofficially, it seems like a spectacle to draw as much attention as possible, particularly from American audiences.
What is President Trump going to do?
Neither Trump nor the other heads of state have a formal role in the draw itself. However, Trump is expected to receive FIFA’s first Peace Prize for his diplomatic efforts regarding a ceasefire in the Middle East, particularly in relation to Israeli hostages.
With a close friendship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Trump’s presence in front of cameras would not be unexpected.
The schedule will be announced on Saturday, but what can we know about Friday’s schedule?
If you’re playing billiards, you might get a sense of who is competing and on what days. However, outside of the USA, Mexico, and Canada, the specific match timings and locations remain uncertain.
Who is in the playoff spot and when will it be determined?
Teams like Iraq, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jamaica, Suriname, Bolivia, and New Caledonia are involved in FIFA’s intercontinental playoffs. Two of these teams will qualify, with semi-finals set for March 26, featuring New Caledonia against Jamaica and Bolivia against Suriname. Iraq and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will automatically proceed to the finals on March 31.
The European playoffs will also take place on those dates, with 16 teams competing, four of which will secure a spot in the World Cup. Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, and Northern Ireland are grouped together, while teams like Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, and Albania are in separate brackets. Similarly, Slovakia, Kosovo, Turkiye, and Romania placed third, and the Czech Republic, Ireland, Denmark, and North Macedonia came fourth.
