Football fans across the UK were left exasperated on Friday evening as the BBC's live coverage of the crucial 2026 World Cup draw was bogged down by an extravagant and lengthy opening ceremony.
A Slow Start Sparks Immediate Backlash
The draw, which took place live from Washington, D.C. on 5 December 2025, was meant to reveal the group stage opponents for nations including favourites England and world champions Argentina. However, supporters were forced to endure a significant wait before the footballing business commenced.
Co-hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum, comedian Kevin Hart, and actor Danny Ramirez, the event began with a performance from opera singer Andrea Bocelli, followed by a set from Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger, who debuted a new football anthem called 'Desire'.
Social Media Erupts with Criticism
It did not take long for viewers tuning in around the globe to voice their frustration on social media platform X. Many complained the draw was taking an unnecessarily long time to start, criticising the focus on musical acts and awards.
"Just like CL group stage draw, looks like the FIFA world cup draw will take 10 years. Not sure which is worse, but looking like world cup draw with all this music and awards etc," wrote one disgruntled fan.
Another echoed the sentiment, posting: "Why does the World Cup draw need all this cringe?" A third simply asked, "Why is the World Cup draw taking two hours?" accompanied by a sleeping emoji.
Performances and Speeches Add to the Delay
Following a speech from FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who claimed six billion people would watch the tournament from home, the criticism only intensified. "Okay, so far this World Cup draw is horrific and cringe. Just do the draw and show us the groups," one viewer demanded.
The performance by Williams and Scherzinger proved particularly divisive. "Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger? Is this the World Cup Draw or the X Factor Final?" questioned one observer.
Another vented: "Just tuned in to watch the #WorldCup draw and Robbie Williams is singing... Can't we just get on with it?!" Further comments labelled the broadcast as "miserable television" and accused organisers of "dragging this World Cup draw" out unnecessarily.
The overarching sentiment from fans was a desire for simplicity and speed, with many feeling the glitzy production overshadowed the core sporting event they had tuned in to watch.
