The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw delivered everything fans expected. Global anticipation, star-studded presenters, and a fresh roadmap for the biggest World Cup ever staged across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Everything is set.
Held this afternoon at the iconic Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C, the event laid out all 12 groups for the expanded 48-team tournament and officially kicked off the countdown to a historic summer of football.
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The FIFA World Cup 2026 draw itself answered every key question, like when, where, and how the world’s biggest sporting event will unfold. It explained the tournament’s June–July schedule, showcasing the host cities from Los Angeles to Mexico City to Toronto. It also revealed the new group-stage format that fans have argued about for months.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw
Final preparations are made as FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw signage is displayed outside the Kennedy Center on December 04, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
But the why of the event remained the same as every World Cup, rekindling the rivalries and global unity that define the sport. And today’s reveal set the stage for exactly that, with heavyweight matchups emerging immediately and dark-horse paths sparking instant debate.
But no moment broke the internet quite like Tom Brady’s involvement. After more than two decades in the NFL and six Super Bowl titles with the Patriots, Brady has nothing left to prove in American football.
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Yet here he is, carving a lane into the world’s other global obsession. As one of the official presenters for the draw, Brady added a stamp of star power that only he can bring. And in classic Brady fashion, he didn’t leave without firing off a joke that stole the spotlight.
After the draw wrapped, Brady jumped on Instagram and dropped a line that had fans laughing across two sports. “Let’s get Shaq a backup goalie tryout!” Tom Brady wrote on his Instagram story.
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The joke was simple, perfect, and perfectly Brady, taking aim at NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal’s monstrous frame and imagining him parked between the posts like a human wall. It was playful cross-sport trolling and a reminder that even on the World Cup stage, Brady knows exactly how to own the moment.
Amid his hilarious challenge, Brady also sent a strong message to FIFA, saying, “Honored to be part of the FIFA World Cup Draw 2026 today.”
Brady’s presence mattered today. Not just because he presented, but because he helped fuse mainstream American sporting royalty with the global game in a way few athletes can. And his joke at Shaq’s expense? That was just the world’s most decorated quarterback having fun as soccer’s biggest party officially got underway.
The World Cup 2026 Draw is complete, the groups are set, the hosts are ready, and Tom Brady made sure fans had something to laugh about on the way out.
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