Overview
- The group draw is scheduled for Friday at Washington’s John F. Kennedy Center, where the 12 preliminary groups will be determined.
- FIFA will stage a live show on Saturday at 18:00 CET led by Gianni Infantino to announce venues and kickoff times, with reports differing on whether it covers only the 72 group-stage matches or all 104 games.
- The White House confirmed President Donald Trump will attend Friday’s draw in Washington.
- Media continue to speculate that Trump could receive FIFA’s newly created Peace Prize at the event, though no awardee has been confirmed.
- FIFA says the definitive full match schedule will be finalized in March 2026 after play-offs determine the last six qualifiers, citing time-zone and stadium factors—including retractable-roof venues—as reasons for the phased announcements.