Overview
- The noon ET draw places 42 qualified teams and six March playoff placeholders into 12 groups of four, with Mexico in Group A, Canada in Group B and the United States in Group D, and FIFA will publish venues and kickoff times on Saturday.
- FIFA’s format assigns teams to four pots by ranking, puts all remaining playoff winners in Pot 4 and ensures Spain, Argentina, France and England cannot meet before the semifinals.
- Kevin Hart and Heidi Klum host with appearances by Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky and others, and the draw airs live on Fox, Telemundo and FIFA.com.
- FIFA will present its inaugural Peace Prize during the ceremony and President Donald Trump is expected to play a prominent role, with multiple outlets reporting he could receive the award; Iran, after protesting U.S. visa refusals, now says it will attend.
- Human Rights Watch disclosed an ICE detention and subsequent deportation near July’s Club World Cup final and urged FIFA to secure protections for migrant fans and workers around U.S. venues.