'Shameless political theater and performances from musical stars whose last big hits came in the pre-smartphone era' What did I witness at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw?

U.S. President Donald Trump, Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico, and Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, pose for a selfie with Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 05, 2025 in Washington, DC.

The build-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw was a complex tapestry of conundrums. It’s going to be held in Las Vegas – no wait, it’s going to be held in Washington D.C.

Journalists should plan on arriving no later than 10.30am – actually, make that 10.15am. Journalists can take their water bottles inside – whoops, they in fact cannot, as seen by the disheartening pile at the entrance.

As I awoke on Friday morning with the mission of covering my first-ever FIFA tournament draw, I was immediately greeted with a bizarre sensation as a lifelong Marylander: snow before Christmas. It refused to let up and blanketed the streets in white – this, combined with a minefield of road closures, made for a less-than-straightforward commuting experience.