A host of stars and delegations from the qualified countries flocked to the red carpet of the Kennedy Center Friday morning in Washington, where the draw for the 2026 World Cup is about to begin, under very high security, with Donald Trump as the main star.

For nearly two hours, a real show will take place in the imposing performance hall located in the American capital, around which an imposing security system has been put in place, forcing accredited people to wait sometimes almost two hours, in the snow, to enter.

This globally televised event is the first highlight of this extraordinary tournament organized in three countries (United States, Mexico, Canada), to determine the path of the 48 teams - a first - launched in the race to succeed Lionel Messi's Argentina.

Peppered with performances from artists from diverse musical backgrounds (Andrea Bocelli, Village People, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger), this grand event, which will be hosted by former German model Heidi Klum and comedian Kevin Hart, a huge star across the Atlantic, is supposed to set the tone for a competition like no other.

But the star guest will undoubtedly be the American president himself. The Republican billionaire, who returned to the White House in January, has made the 2026 World Cup a central event of his second term, despite concerns about the tournament's success stemming from his wide-ranging stances against his Mexican and Canadian neighbors, his immigration policy, and his threats to exclude certain Democratic-led cities from hosting matches.

Trump has found a powerful ally in FIFA President Gianni Infantino, with whom he constantly displays his close relationship. The Italian-Swiss leader, who attended Trump's inauguration and has been invited to the Oval Office several times, clearly understands the need to cultivate a closer relationship with the President of the United States, where 78 of the 104 matches scheduled from June 11 to July 19 will take place, including the final at MetLife Stadium (New Jersey).

- "Peace Prize" -

This "bromance", skillfully maintained by the two men in the name of mutual strategic interests, should reach its peak on Friday with the awarding to Trump, according to several sources, of the first "FIFA Peace Prize".

A consolation prize broadcast worldwide for the American head of state who boasts of having put an end to several conflicts since his return to power and openly dreams of the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded this year to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

Due to the co-organization, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are also present and will meet with Donald Trump on the sidelines of the ceremony, despite the major tensions due to the tariffs imposed by the American president, who has also reiterated his desire to make Canada the 51st American state.

Even Iran, whose diplomatic relations with the United States have been severed since 1980, will finally send a small delegation headed by coach Amir Ghalenoei, after stating that it wanted to boycott the ceremony because of the non-issuance of visas to several officials.

- New -

From a sporting perspective, the stakes are high for the coaches of the 42 countries already qualified, who will be joined in March by six play-off winners, bringing the number of participants to 48, a first in the history of the World Cup.

Following the draw, conducted by several North American sports legends such as Tom Brady (American football), Shaquille O'Neal (basketball) and Wayne Gretzky (ice hockey), the composition of the 12 groups of four and the fixtures for the first round will be known, but we will have to wait until Saturday to find out the venues and times of the matches.

"There is no ideal draw, we'll see. We'll take what we're given and we'll prepare as best we can," French coach Didier Deschamps told AFP, speaking to AFP at the Kennedy Center two hours before the match.

Another innovation: the top four nations in the FIFA rankings (Spain, Argentina, the defending champion, France, England) will be placed in two different parts of the bracket and will not be able to face each other before the semi-finals if they finish top of their group, in order to ensure "sporting balance", according to the International Federation.