By Hadriana Lowenkron
On a day that kicked off excitement for the 2026 World Cup, which will include eight matches locally at SoFi Stadium, President Donald Trump basked in the spectacle and praised the leaders of co-host nations Canada and Mexico.
Trump was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize and had a starring role during the elongated show that eventually led to the draw for the 48 teams that will compete in the event that begins June 11 in Mexico City.
The U.S. men’s national team learned two of its group-stage opponents and knows the possibilities for the final opponent, which will be the winner of a European playoff for one of the remaining spots in the field. The Americans will open play June 12 at SoFi Stadium against Paraguay.
Trump was in the spotlight for much of the draw event, which included musical performances from his favorites Andrea Bocelli and the Village People, and he had kind words for his Canadian and Mexican counterparts even as divisions over North American trade and immigration policy threaten to overshadow next year’s global soccer tournament hosted by the three neighboring countries.
“We’ve worked closely with those two countries, and the coordination and friendship and relationship has been outstanding,” Trump told attendees. “I think you’re going to have an event the likes of which maybe the world has never seen.”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also attended the draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, and the trio appeared on stage to kick off the ceremony. They were expected to meet privately with Trump briefly on Friday, and the U.S. leader told reporters before the event he planned to raise trade and immigration in the talks.
Trump was largely laudatory of his fellow leaders, despite in recent weeks criticizing Canada over its opposition to his tariff regime and Mexico over immigration and counternarcotics policies.
“We’ve had a tremendous relationship,” Trump said.
The glitzy showcase assigned matchups of participating nations to be played in host cities in all three countries.
While teams will learn what opponents they’ll face in the first round on Friday, FIFA will announce on Saturday where the games will take place; that will include the remaining group-stage matchups for SoFi Stadium. The event doubled as another chance for Trump to put his mark on the tournament, as international governing body FIFA has gone to lengths to curry favor with the president.
Trump was given a speaking slot in order to receive a newly created FIFA peace prize, awarded to the president after he lost out on his coveted Nobel Peace Prize. Trump called it “truly one of the great honors of my life.”
The World Cup promises to draw vast numbers of spectators and international fans to North America, and organizers have said they expect windfalls for the 16 host cities, 11 of which are in the U.S.
“Nobody’s ever sold as many tickets, and you’re still a long way from that ball being kicked down the field,” Trump said.
Yet organizers’ plans to roll out the welcome mat for fans around the world have run headlong into the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has featured high-profile raids conducted by masked agents, restrictions on travel to the U.S. and heated rhetoric against migrants.
Trump’s team has expressed confidence that steps, including an expedited visa process for fans, will ease concerns about coming to the U.S. But critics have said that the administration’s actions and message on immigration have already shattered the spirit of global unity the World Cup is supposed to embody.
The U.S. in June restricted entry for travelers from 19 countries, and this week moved to further tighten immigration curbs after the shooting of two National Guard members by an Afghan national. Trump has also threatened to move World Cup games out of the Boston area if he thought the Democrat-run city was unsafe, though he told reporters on Friday he did not want to do so and believed he could address any issues. The games are being held in the suburb of Foxborough.
While the event will require close coordination among the three host countries, Trump is battling with Canada and Mexico over trade, immigration and national security. The president has openly mused about launching strikes on drug cartels in Mexico and turning Canada into the 51st U.S. state. Most recently, he’s threatened to pull out of the North American trade pact he negotiated during his first term.
Trump’s presence
The president has been heavily involved in planning and promotion for the upcoming tournament, frequently hosting FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House. The organization opened an office in Trump Tower in June.
Trump stood up a World Cup task force to handle the logistical and security challenges surrounding the premier showcase for international soccer, and made himself the chair. Andrew Giuliani, son of Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, serves as the panel’s executive director.
The draw at the Kennedy Center came months after Trump ousted the cultural hub’s bipartisan leadership over criticism of what he called “woke” programming and installed allies in their place — as well as himself as board chair.
The event was co-hosted by comedian Kevin Hart, supermodel and television personality Heidi Klum and actor and producer Danny Ramirez. It featured live performances by musicians including Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, as well as the other acts.
The president has frequently used sports as a platform to promote his own profile and policies.
He attended the 2025 Club World Cup final and stood on stage for the trophy ceremony with the winners. Trump invited Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo to a gala dinner with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and hosted Italian powerhouse club Juventus at the White House earlier this year.
Trump has also appeared at the Super Bowl, Ryder Cup, Daytona 500, US Open Tennis Championships, as well as multiple UFC fights, a New York Yankees game and the NCAA wrestling championships.