WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump announced Friday that the draw for the 2026 World Cup will be held in Washington on December 5 – and then jokingly asked if he could keep the golden trophy for himself.
The draw for the 48-team football championship will be held at the Kennedy Center in the US capital, where Trump recently installed himself as chairman in what he called a war on “woke” culture.
“It’s the biggest, probably the biggest event in sports,” Trump, flanked by Fifa chief Gianni Infantino, said as he made the announcement in the Oval Office of the White House.
The 2026 World Cup is being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico next year, and Trump has made a big deal about it happening during his presidency.Infantino, who has fostered close ties with the billionaire US president, brought the World Cup with him for the announcement and even let Trump get his hands on it.
“Only the Fifa president, presidents of countries, and then those who win can touch it, because it’s for winners only. And since you are a winner, of course you can as well touch it,” Infantino said.
“Can I keep it?” replied Trump, who won a second term in the White House last year, as he lifted the trophy with both hands. “That’s a beautiful piece of gold.”
