6 December 2025
In a scene more akin to a Hollywood spectacle than a football event, the 2026 World Cup draw yesterday presented a raucous, two-and-a-quarter-hour spectacle. It began with Andrea Bocelli's "Nessun Dorma" and concluded with a YMCA dance routine accompanied by the beaming smiles of US President Donald Trump.
The event, watched by millions of fans worldwide, resembled a cross between a concert, a satirical comedy show, and a political conference, punctuated by the World Cup draw.
The opening scene featured Trump and Gianni Infantino sitting side-by-side in the theater's balcony, in what appeared to be a "quiet date," before a torrent of funny and provocative moments ensued: Kevin Hart cracking bland jokes, Wayne Gretzky struggling to pronounce team names, Rio Ferdinand being mocked by children, and Lauryn Hill attempting to liven things up amidst a heavy-handed official presence. Even at the end of the musical segment, viewers seemed perplexed: Was this an Oscars ceremony? A political derby? Or the World Cup draw?
One of the most bizarre moments was Infantino presenting Trump with the "Peace Prize," an award the world hadn't even heard of a month prior. According to The Athletic, Trump received the gold medal as if at an inauguration ceremony, then thanked everyone in a brief, two-minute speech, leaving many wondering: How did he get involved in football?!
After an hour and 26 minutes of spectacle, discussions, and commentary, the draw finally began, featuring legends of American sports: Shaq, Tom Brady, and others unknown to half the football world.
The 12 groups were drawn, but by the end of the show, minds were exhausted, and the audience could barely process what had happened.
Finally, the Village People took to the stage to perform their famous song, with Trump standing and swaying to the music. Infantino smiles, and the heads of state watch, as if the final scene encapsulates what we can offer the world: a boisterous, American-influenced, and eccentric World Cup.
The draw was a "stylish showcase" of what's to come next summer: a massive mix of football and entertainment, a dominant American presence, an extravagant display that will irritate fans, but which, conversely, could ignite global football like never before. As Canada's American coach, Jesse Marsh, put it: "It was very American, very American."
The question now is: if the draw was this grand and bizarre, what will the World Cup itself be like?
