The 2026 FIFA World Cup steps onto the global stage Thursday night with a draw ceremony unlike any before it, powered by a constellation of sports legends from around the world.
Rio Ferdinand, Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky and Aaron Judge will join forces in the U.S. capital to help reveal the group-stage path for the largest World Cup ever staged.
FIFA announced that Ferdinand, the former England captain and Manchester United defensive mainstay, will co-host the event alongside Samantha Johnson, one of the most respected broadcast journalists in international sports media.
Their pairing brings a blend of authority, clarity and on-air command that aligns with FIFA’s efforts to give draw ceremonies a sharper, more storytelling-driven presentation.
On stage, the ceremony will draw additional star power from four giants of North American sport.
Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion and the most accomplished quarterback in NFL history, will take part as an official draw assistant.
Hockey icon Wayne Gretzky, widely regarded as the greatest player the NHL has ever produced, will represent Canada’s athletic legacy, while New York Yankees star Aaron Judge adds the presence of one of baseball’s most recognizable modern power hitters.
Shaquille O’Neal, the four-time NBA champion known for his dominance and charisma, rounds out the group with his unmistakable personality and global appeal.
Together, their involvement reflects the spirit of a tournament spanning the United States, Canada and Mexico – a World Cup built on continental collaboration and cultural crossover.
In the lead-up to the ceremony, the FIFA World Cup Trophy has already arrived in Washington, drawing fans and media to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where the gleaming 18-carat gold prize is currently on display.
Its presence in the capital offers an early glimpse of the stakes awaiting 48 teams next summer.
The 2026 World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19 across 16 stadiums, stretching from Mexico City’s historic Estadio Azteca to Los Angeles, Dallas, Toronto and Vancouver, with the final set for New York’s MetLife Stadium. The expanded 48-team format introduces 12 groups of four, sending 32 teams into the knockout rounds – a structure designed to broaden competition and maintain suspense deep into the tournament. With qualification accelerating and excitement rising across three nations, Thursday’s draw marks the first true appointment moment of the 2026 cycle.
For Ferdinand, returning to the global stage in a hosting role reflects the unique blend of sport and spectacle that the modern World Cup now embraces. “This is more than a draw,” he said earlier this week. “It’s the launch point for the biggest World Cup ever.”
