Kennedy Center Will Host 2026 World Cup Draw, Trump Says

Topline

President Donald Trump announced Friday the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., which he took over as chairman earlier this year, would host the draw for the 2026 World Cup in December to determine the match schedule for the world’s biggest soccer tournament.

President Donald Trump, with the World Cup trophy on his desk, announced the World Cup draw would be hosted at the Kennedy Center in December. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Key Facts

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will host the World Cup draw on Dec. 5, Trump said.

Trump made the announcement from the Oval Office alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, with the World Cup trophy sitting on his desk.

Trump said it is a “tremendous honor to bring the global event and this incredible group of people and these unbelievable athletes, the best athletes in the world, to the cultural center of our nation’s capital.”

Infantino handed Trump the World Cup trophy, telling him, “It’s for winners only, and since you are a winner, of course you can, as well, touch it,” as Trump said: “Can I keep it? We’re not giving it back.”

Trump, who has floated naming the Kennedy Center after himself as chairman, claimed “some people refer to it as the Trump Kennedy Center, but we’re not prepared to do that quite yet, maybe in a week or so.”

The 2026 World Cup will take place next year in cities spanning the United States, Canada and Mexico.

What Do We Know About The 2026 World Cup?

The World Cup will take place between June and July 2026, spanning 16 cities between the United States, Canada and Mexico. Eleven of the host cities are in the United States, including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and East Rutherford, New Jersey, located outside New York City. Trump boasted Friday the sporting event will boost the U.S. economy by $30 billion and create 185,000 jobs. The upcoming World Cup is set to be the largest in history, featuring the first field of 48 teams who will face off in 104 matches, an increase from the previous 32 teams. The event, held every four years, is the most widely watched event in sports. The World Cup is one of several major sporting events coming to the United States in Trump’s second term, two years before Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympic Games.

How Has Trump Taken Over The Kennedy Center?

Trump’s announcement comes months after he removed Democratic-appointed members of the Kennedy Center board and installed allies, clearing the path for himself to be elected chairman. Trump announced his intent to wield influence over the cultural center after alleging it hosted “Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth,” likely referring to an event the center held for LGBTQ youth in 2024. His takeover has sparked some protests from artists, including television producer Shonda Rhimes, who resigned from the organization’s board. Last week, Trump announced the recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors, who will be honored at a ceremony in December which Trump said he will host. This year’s honorees include Sylvester Stallone, a Trump ally, as well as singer Gloria Gaynor, actor Michael Crawford, singer George Strait and rock band Kiss.

Tangent

Trump said Chicago would be his administration’s likely next target in its crime crackdown while taking questions after his World Cup announcement. “When we’re ready, we’ll go in and straighten out Chicago, just like we did D.C.,” Trump said, referring to his administration’s takeover of the Washington, D.C. police force and his deployment of federal troops to the nation’s capital.