AP file photo
US President Donald Trump on Friday stole the spotlight at the FIFA 2026 World Cup draw when he rose from his seat at the Kennedy Center and performed his signature “YMCA” dance. The moment came as organizers brought the Village People on stage to perform the hit number, a staple at Trump campaign rallies alongside “Nessun dorma.” Trump attended the event alongside Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The ceremony was co-hosted by actor-comedian Kevin Hart and supermodel Heidi Klum, and featured appearances by sports icons including Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky, Eli Manning and Aaron Judge.
The US president also received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize from the sport’s global governing body.”Mr President, this is your prize. This is your peace prize,” said Gianni Infantino, the president of the international football association as presented the prize to Trump. “There is also a beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go.”Trump then placed the gong around his neck, saying, “I’m going to wear it right now.”Football fans around the world tuned in to the World Cup draw to see how the match-ups would take shape, and organizers are hoping that same global interest will translate into strong attendance at the tournament. Trump said earlier this week that ticket sales were “good,” though questions remain about how the event will ultimately unfold. The matches begin in June and will culminate in the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.Concerns, however, have been raised. In a July 1 letter to FIFA, more than 80 civil rights and labor groups warned that the Trump administration’s immigration policies could affect the staging of the World Cup, as cited by USA Today.At the event, Trump, Sheinbaum, and Carney took part in the proceedings by drawing their countries into predetermined World Cup groups before the remaining slots in the 12 four-team groups were filled.North Macedonia and Curaçao, whose qualification prospects have improved with the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, were among the beneficiaries of the new format. The increase also pushed the number of groups from eight to 12.The expanded field made the draw more complex, with six of the 48 teams still undecided. Those remaining spots will be determined through playoffs in March, requiring the use of placeholders during the draw, as cited by AP.The expanded field also reduced the likelihood of several top-tier teams being placed in the same group.
