FIFA announced on Wednesday that Tom Brady and Shaquille O’Neal will be among the prominent figures assisting with the World Cup draw set for Friday in Washington, D.C.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion and NBA Hall of Famer will be joined by former Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand, Yankees power hitter Aaron Judge, and NHL legend Wayne Gretzky as they take the stage to draw balls that will assign countries to their respective groups for the tournament.
«It’s an extraordinary privilege to participate in the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup — it’s a global platform every athlete aspires to be on,» Brady, who is a part owner of Birmingham City in the English Championship, stated in a FIFA announcement. «I look forward to helping shape the journey for a competition that unites the world like no other.»
Heidi Klum will co-host the event alongside actors Kevin Hart and Danny Ramirez, leading up to the draw. Entertainment planned for the ceremony includes performances by Tony Award and Olivier Award winner Nicole Scherzinger, Andrea Bocelli, and Robbie Williams.
The Village People will perform «Y.M.C.A.,» and FIFA will present its first-ever Peace Prize, intended to «honor exceptional actions for peace.» Former NFL player Eli Manning will serve as the host on the red carpet.
A record total of 64 nations will participate in the World Cup draw on Friday, which represents over 30% of FIFA’s member associations.
For the 2026 edition, FIFA increased the number of participating teams from 32 to 48, with only 42 spots secured prior to the event. Of the teams in Friday’s draw, 22 are set to enter playoffs that will finalize the last six spots by March 31.
This World Cup will feature 104 matches, up from 64, taking place from June 11 to July 19 across 16 venues in North America. There will be 78 matches held in 11 NFL stadiums, starting from the quarterfinals, and 13 matches each in Mexico and Canada. The final will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which will host a halftime show for the first time.
Along with 12 winners and runners-up of the groups, eight third-place teams will progress to a new round of 32. The World Cup champion will compete in eight matches.
The U.S. will kick off the World Cup on June 12 in Inglewood, California, followed by a match in Seattle a week later, concluding the group stage on June 25 back in Inglewood.
Information from The Associated Press was utilized in this piece.
