The ceremonial draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a pivotal moment setting the stage for football's biggest tournament, was unexpectedly upstaged by a moment of pure comedic spectacle. As a constellation of sporting legends assembled at Washington's Kennedy Center, it was the side-by-side appearance of NBA giant Shaquille O'Neal and diminutive comedian Kevin Hart that sent social media into a frenzy, overshadowing even the presence of former US President Donald Trump.
A Star-Studded Stage in Washington
The historic draw, which took place at 5pm GMT on Friday, formally determined the groups for the unprecedented 48-nation tournament set to be hosted across the USA, Canada, and Mexico. To assist in the proceedings, FIFA assembled a remarkable panel of draw assistants from across the sporting world. Alongside NBA icon Shaquille O'Neal were NFL legend Tom Brady, MLB superstar Aaron Judge, hockey great Wayne Gretzky, and former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand.
As the athletes were introduced one by one, the moment O'Neal, standing at 7ft 1in, walked out next to the 5ft 4in Hart created an instantly viral visual. Fans quickly flooded platforms like X (formerly Twitter) with screengrabs, captivated by the foot-and-a-half height disparity between the two celebrities before a single ball was drawn.
Trump's Attendance and FIFA Peace Prize
Adding a significant political dimension to the event was the attendance of former President Donald Trump. In a notable pre-draw ceremony, FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented Trump with the organisation's inaugural peace prize. Trump accepted the award and addressed the audience on stage.
This appearance continues Trump's recent trend of associating with global sports figures, having been photographed with football star Cristiano Ronaldo earlier in the month and visiting the New York Yankees locker room in September, where he complimented Aaron Judge's physique.
Sporting Icons Embrace the Global Stage
The athletes involved expressed their honour at participating in such a landmark event. Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion, stated, 'Being part of the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup is an incredible honour – it's the kind of global stage every athlete dreams of.'
New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge, highlighting the local connection, said, 'With the final set for New York New Jersey – right where I play – I can't wait to see which teams will be battling for the title in our own backyard.' The final will be held at the 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026.
Draw Mechanics and Tournament Scale
The draw itself established the framework for the largest World Cup in history. The 48 competing nations were split into 12 groups of four teams. Each group contains one team from each seeding pot, with the strict condition that all nations in a single group must be from different confederations, except for Europe, which can have a maximum of two teams per group.
The ceremony, which concluded with a performance of 'YMCA' by the Village People, lasted approximately 90 minutes. It set the path for a tournament that promises to be a monumental logistical and sporting undertaking, uniting the globe across three host nations.
