FIFA announced on Wednesday that Tom Brady and Shaquille O’Neal will be among the prominent figures assisting with the World Cup draw on Friday in Washington, D.C.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion and NBA Hall of Famer will join former Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand, Yankees star Aaron Judge, and hockey legend Wayne Gretzky on stage for the event, where they will help draw the teams that will participate in the World Cup and assign them to their respective groups.
Brady, who is a part-owner of English Championship club Birmingham City, expressed his excitement about the event, stating, “Participating in the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup is an incredible honor—it’s a global stage that every athlete dreams of. I’m thrilled to help shape the path for a tournament that unites the world like no other.”
The event will be co-hosted by model Heidi Klum along with actors Kevin Hart and Danny Ramirez. Entertainment during the ceremony will feature performances from Tony and Olivier Award winner Nicole Scherzinger, Andrea Bocelli, and Robbie Williams.
The Village People are also scheduled to perform “Y.M.C.A.,” and FIFA will present its inaugural Peace Prize, designed to honor outstanding efforts for peace. Former NFL quarterback Eli Manning will be the host for the red carpet.
A record 64 nations will participate in Friday’s World Cup draw, representing more than 30% of FIFA’s member nations.
The tournament expanded from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 edition, but only 42 slots have been filled prior to the ceremony, leaving 22 teams in Friday’s draw competing in playoffs to secure the final six berths by March 31.
This year’s World Cup will feature 104 matches instead of the usual 64, running from June 11 to July 19 across 16 venues in North America. Eleven NFL stadiums will host 78 of the games, including all matches from the quarterfinals onward, along with 13 games each in Mexico and Canada. The final will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which will also feature a halftime show for the first time.
From the 12 group winners and runners-up, eight third-place teams will advance to a new round of 32, meaning the World Cup champion will need to win a total of eight matches.
The U.S. team will kick off the World Cup on June 12 in Inglewood, California, face off in Seattle a week later, and conclude the group stage on June 25 back in Inglewood.
Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.