President Donald Trump declared that the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw will be held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.
Trump stated Friday during a ceremony in the Oval Office, where the golden World Cup trophy was on display on the Resolute Desk, that the draw is set for December 5. The competition, which takes place every four years, will decide the match schedule based on the event.
“Bringing this international event to the cultural hub of our nation’s capital, along with these amazing athletes who are the best in the world, is a great honor,” Trump said. We’re not quite ready to call it the Trump Kennedy Center, although some people do.
In an effort to make his stamp on the cultural landscape of the country, Trump has become more and more interested in both the world soccer event and the esteemed arts organization.
Trump went to the final FIFA Club World Cup this summer at MetLife Stadium, which served as a de facto sneak peek at the competition the next year. Additionally, he has hosted FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the White House on several occasions, including the announcement on Friday.
Infantino informed Trump that the World Cup trophy is reserved for winners and that, of course, he may touch it because he was the winner. We’re not giving it back, Trump joked as he lifted the trophy and asked if he could keep it. Trump had previously received the original Club World Cup trophy from Infantino.
The United States, Mexico, and Canada will host the 2026 World Cup for the first time. However, trade tensions after Trump’s decision to increase tariffs on imports from North American countries have complicated the lead-up.
Trump has been aggressively involved in professional sports since taking office again in January, calling on teams like the MLB’s Cleveland Guardians and the NFL’s Washington Commanders to change their names back to their original ones. He has also gone to a lot of high-profile events, such as UFC fights, the Daytona 500, and the Super Bowl.
Compared to his first term, when some championship teams shunned White House visits and his golf clubs lost tournament hosting prospects, sports leagues seem more willing to collaborate with Trump this time around.
Trump has cited the United States’ hosting of the 2028 Olympics and the World Cup as evidence of the country’s recovery under his direction. After a multi-year hiatus, the PGA Tour confirmed this week that it will return to his golf club in Doral, Florida, next year.
Trump has ended decades of nonpartisan administration at the Kennedy Center by removing the board and replacing loyalists, among other major changes, since taking over as chairman earlier this year. He has declared intentions to repaint the building’s famous golden columns and pledged to completely renovate the center using $257 million from his tax and spending measure to make it a crown gem of American arts and culture. Without providing more information, Trump also hinted that the World Cup might establish a main headquarters there.
The National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera are housed at the Kennedy Center, which also presents a diverse range of cultural events, such as ballet, opera, drama, and orchestral music.
Trump’s attempts to take charge of the Kennedy Center are a reflection of his larger actions in the Democratic-leaning city of Washington. Citing worries about crime and blight, he took over the city’s police force earlier this month and sent in National Guard troops, even though the Justice Department reported that violent crime in Washington hit a 30-year low last year.
The arts world has criticized the president’s modifications to the Kennedy Center, which has caused several well-known artists to postpone their engagements and the popular musical Hamilton to shelve its production plans.
