Mauricio Pochettino made sure to reiterate that the U.S. men's national team is bigger and “more important” than any one player ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Stars and Stripes' manager did not call out Christian Pulisic by name, but his bold statement only fueled recent controversy surrounding the AC Milan winger, who came under fire for his commitment to the USMNT. Pulisic, along with a long list of the biggest American stars, skipped last summer's Gold Cup, leaving Pochettino with a squad largely of MLS and other unproven players typically overlooked for the likes of the USMNT captain, Weston McKennie, Folarin Balogun and Antonee Robinson. “But that gave us opportunity to reveal things and to give opportunities to other [players] in different scenarios and now that's the moment that ... makes the team feel that the badge is the most important. Sign Up to Get Informed With SI FC. The 27-year-old struggled to have an impact in the team's 2–0 defeat to South Korea, but then bounced back with an assist in the Stars and Stripes' 2–0 win over Japan. Fitness concerns limited Pulisic to only a cameo appearance off the bench against Ecuador during the October international break, before he was forced to withdraw against Australia due to a hamstring injury. The Stars and Stripes went on to defeat Paraguay and Uruguay in two statement victories. With matches against Portugal and Belgium coming in March, Pulisic will hope to return with a bang to help the USMNT find its best form ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil. He will also no doubt be eager to finally silence the noise surrounding his commitment to the national team. Amanda Langell is a Sports Illustrated FC freelance writer covering the European game and international competitions. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.

Explaining new award at World Cup 2026 draw with Donald Trump rumored winner originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The World Cup draw always proves a spectacle. But Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal aren't the only people who will be watching the event with bated breath. The 79-year-old head of state could be landing some hardware of his own during the event, with FIFA set to award its inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to individuals believed to have made the greatest contribution to creating peace for soccer lovers across the planet. The peace prize represents a shift away from that alleged principle. Suffice to say, the award — and its recipient — will be a notable talking point when it is handed out on Dec. 5. MORE: USA's history of hosting the World Cup and major soccer events Introduced in 2025, the award is designed to "reward individuals who have taken individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace", the FIFA Peace Prize is an award granted to individuals believed to have united the masses of soccer enthusiasts, per a FIFA press release. The selection criteria remains murky, with council members reportedly unable to offer input into the process of determining a winner. As of Dec. 2, FIFA hasn't responded to Human Rights Watch's request. “This is the right platform to award somebody who has done so much or is doing so much for peace because we need that," Infantino said. "Football helps a little bit, but then we need leaders to push it into the goal and to score the goal." “In an increasingly unsettled and divided world, it's fundamental to recognise the outstanding contribution of those who work hard to end conflicts and bring people together in a spirit of peace,” Infantino said in FIFA's statement announcing the award. Infantino is a known admirer of Donald Trump, having chummed around with the U.S. president during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Trump is believed to desire the Nobel Peace Prize, with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13) nominating him for the medal in October. MORE: Latest on Messi's plans to play at the 2026 World Cup “At a time when global conflict is escalating and many leaders hide behind speeches instead of action, President Trump is delivering results,” Rep. Luna wrote. Infantino made similar claims on Oct. 9, writing on Instagram that deserves the prize for his "decisive actions" in facilitating a "ceasefire" amid Israel's genocide of Palestinians. On Nov. 28, the United Nations calling for an independent investigation to be conducted after video emerged showing Israeli security forces killing two unarmed and surrendering Palestinian men in Jenin, a city in the West Bank. Trump was not awarded a Nobel Peace Prize this year. During his Nov. 5 speech at Kaseya Center, Infantino was asked if Trump was a candidate for the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. MORE:How the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw will work Given Trump's desire for a peace prize of his own — as well as he and Infantino's seemingly close relationship — it seems quite possible that the 79-year-old could land the honor. Trump has praised Infantino for his professional acumen, calling him a "winner" in a video that aired during the Miami draw for the Club World Cup, per NBC 4 Washington. Trump's daughter, Ivanka, and son-in law, Jared Kushner, watched on in attendance during the event. Infantino celebrated Trump's return to the presidential office, visited him at Mar-a-Lago, his South Florida club, and attended Trump's presidential inauguration. As previously mentioned, he also called for Trump to take home the Nobel Peace Prize for his policy in the Middle East. MORE:Teams and pots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw FIFA's offices are located in Trump Tower, and Infantino even suggested the idea of Trump doing the World Cup draw himself. “Just like a great opera, there will be high drama,” Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House task force, said. Per NBC 4 Washington, Infantino has made more public appearances with Trump than any other soccer official from Europe or South America. He appeared at the White House on Aug. 22, handing Trump a replica World Cup trophy — much to the surprise of some fellow soccer figures. All of that is to say, Trump and Infantino aren't merely professional allies.

The human rights organization is demanding concrete protections for workers, athletes, fans, and journalists attending the tournament next summer Fans, both local and foreign, have been told they need not fear criminals. On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) revealed that an asylum seeker had been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the day of the Club World Cup final, this past July 13, and later deported, raising serious concerns ahead of next summer's tournament. “The World Cup cannot be a way to entrap Latino fans. But that perversion, as it turns out, had already made its appearance in the stands. While President Trump attended the VIP box at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium to enjoy the decisive match between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain last July, two children — ages 14 and 10 — were sitting in their seats among more than 80,000 spectators, but they were alone. Minutes earlier, their father had been arrested in the parking lot of a nearby mall. Police had initially detained him to issue a citation for improperly flying a small drone to take photos and videos. But they then brought him inside the stadium for further questioning and ultimately handed him over to ICE custody, despite the fact that his young children had no other guardian and that he had a valid work permit while his asylum claim was pending. The man — whose name and nationality have been withheld for fear of reprisals both in the United States and in his home country — spent three months in a New Jersey immigration detention center called Delaney Hall. In October, he chose voluntary deportation, unable to withstand the terrible conditions any longer and wanting to protect his family. “This is not an isolated case,” Worden says. “The data we've amassed indicates that the risk for FIFA across 78 matches in the United States is huge.” According to information from the Deportation Data Project analyzed by HRW, between January 20 and July 29 of this year, immigration authorities made 55,749 arrests in areas where World Cup matches will be played. On top of that, in recent days and weeks the Trump administration's anti-immigrant and xenophobic rhetoric has hardened even further, and the White House is not ruling out raids during the World Cup. “As for the illegal individual who was detained, he was violating a temporary flight restriction with an anti-UAS — with a drone, I should say — so obviously that's in line with what the president has said about wanting to ensure that these games are safe and secure. There will be no tolerance for people flying their drones around these stadiums during the matches,” he insisted, leaning on the drone violation and avoiding any mention of the two minors left without their legal guardian. Last week, HRW sent a letter to Infantino — obtained by EL PAÍS — informing FIFA of the ICE arrest near MetLife Stadium over the summer and requesting information about measures and protocols to protect migrants and minors during the tournament. They also asked whether FIFA had received guarantees from the Trump administration. So far, FIFA has not responded directly to HRW's letter, though it has said that the arrest in question is not its responsibility because it occurred in an area separate from the stadium — the adjacent parking lot — and they have no record of anyone with the detainee's name purchasing a ticket. “Workers, athletes, fans, and communities make the World Cup possible,” said Andrea Florence, executive director of the Sport & Rights Alliance. Last week, the Trump administration ended Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, which had allowed hundreds of thousands of Haitians to live in the U.S. for decades. So many Haitians whose legal status changed overnight may go to cheer for their team without knowing they could be at risk of deportation.” Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition Cada uno accederá con su propia cuenta de email, lo que os permitirá personalizar vuestra experiencia en EL PAÍS. Puedes consultar aquí los términos y condiciones de la suscripción digital.

The Mexican president, along with Canada's PM Mark Carney, is expected to discuss trade tariffs with Trump at the football tournament draw Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum said she will hold a short in-person meeting with US President Donald Trump this week in Washington, as they continue to negotiate over US tariffs on her nation's goods. The event will determine the match schedule for the football tournament held every four years. The three nations are also set to review the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement next year.

The league has a chance to innovate and keep its best players While there may be teams in Europe that have more talented rosters than the best NWSL sides, top to bottom the league has more balance and competition than those abroad. Much of that is thanks to the preference of USWNT stars to play in the USA. In recent years, that has been changing as top players like Naomi Girma, Emily Fox, Lindsey Heaps, and Alyssa Thompson moved abroad in the prime of their careers. It seems like another star player will be leaving soon as Trinity Rodman has gained interest from Europe. In an effort to keep her stateside, the Washington Spirit reportedly offered her a four year contract that would have competed with what she could make in Europe. Rodman had agreed to the terms but the deal was vetoed by NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman because, while it doesn't appear to have violated any NWSL roster rules, it ran counter to the values of the league. Clearly, the league cannot afford to keep losing its best players and expect to keep a competitive environment that has been key to its success. That success also supports the USWNT since players need to be competing against top opposition in order to be among the best national teams in the world. While NWSL can likely have the best competitive equity in the world thanks to its salary cap, it will not be able to keep up with teams that can pay higher salaries and poach its best players. The situation with Rodman is an opportunity for the league to innovate and create a solution so its competitiveness does not fall behind leagues who are improving and do not have the salary limitations that the NWSL has. It would be tempting to look to MLS with its designated player rule and other roster mechanisms that have brought and kept star players into the league, but MLS has been playing catchup while the NWSL has been setting the standard. NWSL needs to take proactive steps to either keep players like Rodman or it risks losing more ground as women's soccer in Europe grows in popularity and financially. United States puts three past Italy in dominant performance It's turkey tetrazzini as the last matches of 2025 approach Two friendlies against a European opponent close the year.

While six places are yet to be determined due to upcoming playoff games, 42 nations have secured their spots for the United States, Canada and Mexico next year. By Friday afternoon, the draw will be complete, and by Saturday afternoon, venues and kick-off times will be announced. The draw will be conducted by England legend Rio Ferdinand, and North American sports icons Tom Brady, Shaquille O'Neal, Wayne Gretzky, and Aaron Judge will assist with the ceremony. U.S. Soccer has been preparing for this World Cup since it was awarded co-hosting rights in 2018. As a host nation, the USMNT has been placed in Pot 1. Per World Cup rules, no group will have more than one team from the same confederation drawn into it. This applies to all confederations except UEFA, meaning that the USMNT will likely face an eclectic mix of nations from across the globe. The four-nation group will feature a team from Pots 1, 2, 3 and 4. Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany The USMNT will be drawn first and then face one nation from each pot during the World Cup group stages. Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Play-Off A, B, C and D, FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1 and 2 Please note that your preferences are browser specific.

One way or another, Argentina star Lionel Messi is attending the 2026 World Cup. I've said before that I'd love to be there," he said in an interview with ESPN. The stakes of any given World Cup are so high that a coach is taking a risk whenever he selects a player, no matter how great, based largely on reputation. The pressure on Lionel Scaloni is even higher as Argentina is the reigning world champion. Messi will be 39 when the World Cup kicks off and La Albiceleste boast a lot of attacking talent. Next summer, maybe his performance has started to tail off to a point where he isn't the best option for Scaloni on the merits. But the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner hasn't had that sort of decline yet. He won the MLS Golden Boot in 2025 with 29 goals and tied for the league lead in assists with 19. Messi has added another six goals and seven assists in the playoffs as Inter Miami heads into Saturday's MLS Cup final against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Across 12 World Cup qualifying matches, he also scored eight goals and assisted on three more, so the legendary forward isn't merely padding his stats in a league that's a step below the best competitions in Europe.

When Michelle Akers boarded a flight from New York to Italy for the USWNT's first international match in 1985 at 19, she didn't understand the gravity of the moment. "I literally was just there to play. It was just because we loved it," Akers, a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, told USA TODAY Sports. "It took me a game to understand, holy s---, I'm playing for America." Akers and the 16 founding members of the USWNT embarked on a seismic journey armed with $10 a day, Adidas cleats and hand-me-down men's uniforms. What the original 85ers lacked in resources was made up by sacrifice, grit and belief in each other. Storied Sports partnered with Adidas to release a seven-part audio series, titled, “Origin Story: The 85ers," which premieres Dec. 10 in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the inaugural 1985 team. Akers, who served as co-producer on the project, said it's an "emotional" story she's been trying to tell for decades. "You've spent and invested your blood, sweat, tears, your dreams, your identity into building change and building lasting, empowered opportunity and equality," said Akers, an Olympic gold medalist (1996) and two-time World Cup champion (1991, 1999). "To look back 40 years later, from that first U.S. women's national team, and see that it's not only changed and elevated the USWNT, it's changed women's sports all around the world. Players anxiously sat bleachers after the festival concluded, Akers recalled. And then USWNT head coach Mike Ryan read aloud a list of names that would form the first USWNT to compete overseas: Michelle Akers, Pam Baughman Cornell, Denise Bender, Denise Boyer-Merdich, Tara Buckley, Laurie Bylin, Stacey Enos, Linda Gancitano, Cindy Gordon, Ruth Harker, Tuca Healy, Lori Henry, Sharon McMurtry, Ann Orrison, Emily Pickering, Kathy Ridgewell and Kim Wyant. So they made the team in three days," said Akers, who noted that their airfare was covered otherwise she "never would've been able to go." You don't understand what it is the privilege and honor it is to play for your country!" — and to a certain extent, she agreed. Akers didn't realize what the USWNT would become. Consider: there was no women's World Cup, it started in 1991, and Olympic women's soccer tournament, it began in 1996. Akers said she and her teammates had to hand-sew Team USA patches on their jerseys, old men's uniforms that were given a second life by the women's team. And although they didn't have their last names on the back, Akers felt a tremendous amount of pride wearing it, an honor she feels to this day. The USWNT lost to Italy 1-0 in its first international match on Aug. 18, 1985. They finished in a 2-2 draw against Denmark in their second match, before ending the tournament with losses to England (3-1) and Denmark (1-0). "Playing against Italy, that first game, and we got our asses kicked," Akers said. And I recognize we had a long way to go." But the Americans' confidence grew each time they took the pitch and Akers knew they had something special: "We were warriors. "And we see that time and time again in every competition, the USA plays in." It's a tradition that dates back to the founding members being greeted by Italian fans cheering for "USA" upon their arrival in 1985, an endearing connection between the past and present. "It makes my heart explode with pride and just a sisterhood," Akers said. Forty years may have passed, but "nothing's changed at all," Akers joked, likening her teammates to the cast of "A League Of Their Own." "These are the characters of my teammates. They are off the hook," she added. So I think as serious and intense it can be, it's funny and emotional too." Akers said the reunion was extra special because it was the first time some of her teammates revisited 1985. Although Akers went on to have a prolific soccer career that stretched until 2000, many of her teammates hung up their cleats after that trip to Italy to pursue a job, families, education or anything deemed legitimate, because "soccer wasn't a thing" back then, Akers recalled. "Some of them literally packed their gear away in the attic and never looked at it again. And then when we started developing this project, they took it out of the attic and it was so emotional," Akers said. In addition to the 17 members of the 1985 team, many USWNT icons -- Brandi Chastain, Julie Foudy, Lindsey Heaps, Kristine Lilly, Becky Sauerbrunn and Abby Wambach -- make appearances throughout the seven-part audio series to reflect on the 85ers legacy. "You can't understand the rise of women's sports today without understanding and appreciating the women who built it," said Jaymee Messler, co-founder and co-CEO of Storied Sports. "I feel like it closes a loop that honors the past while acknowledging how deeply it's shaped the present. And it feels like the 85ers lit that spark that this next generation turned into a wildfire." It's appropriate the series is presented by Adidas, who was part of their story from the beginning "before there were lights, cameras or sponsorship dollars," Messler added. Storied Sports is doing more than sharing the story. The content studio created an athlete-owned team LLC, where all 17 players are represented and trademarked in an effort to turn "history into equity." "There's so much investment going into women's sports right now," Messler said, "and Michelle and I and our team have been focusing on how to create some of that investment into the women themselves that have built these sports." Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Lionel Messi has lifted the lid on a shock "childhood dream" that was scotched by his Barcelona debut. Messi's life pivoted sharply when Barcelona chose to take a chance on him at a moment when Argentine clubs, including giants River Plate, backed away from the cost of treating his growth hormone condition. Alongside Rexach's name were those of transfer advisor Josep Minguella and agent Horacio Gaggioli, men who had championed Messi's potential when others hesitated. After his trial, weeks drifted by with little communication from Barca. Messi was officially signed a month later, and history took its course. Translated into English, it reads: "In Barcelona, on 14 December 2000 and in the presence of Messrs Minguella and Horacio, Carles Rexach, FC Barcelona's sporting director, hereby agrees, under his responsibility and regardless of any dissenting opinions, to sign the player Lionel Messi, provided that we keep to the amounts agreed upon." Messi's Barcelona debut followed three years later, on 16 November 2003, in a friendly against Porto. Even then, whispers circled La Masia suggesting that the teenager from Rosario possessed a talent beyond comparison, though few could predict the scale of what would unfold. His competitive first-team bow came the following year on 16 October, in a La Liga fixture against Espanyol. At 17 years, three months and 22 days, he became Barcelona's youngest-ever representative in official competition. The dream of playing for Newell's faded in that moment, but a new reality began. In an interview with ESPN, Messi has now said: "I always say that my childhood dream was to play for Newell's first team. Then my life changed completely because I left at 13, debuted for Barcelona, and everything that happened afterward. It's something I never would've imagined, not even in my best dreams. Messi would go on to score 672 goals in 778 games for Barcelona, win 10 La Liga titles, lift four Champions Leagues, and establish an era-defining legacy before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. When he left PSG, the option was emotionally appealing but professionally unworkable as Inter Miami ultimately offered the stability and vision that Newell's could not. Now 38 and still guiding Argentina as they prepare to defend their World Cup crown, Messi accepts that the story of his early years remains unfinished. Whereas the same napkin was sold for an astonishing £762,400 at auction, far surpassing its £300,000 starting price. For Messi, the tournament represents an opportunity to win back-to-back World Cups as captain.

At one end of the range, the USMNT could get a South American power, a world-class striker and one of only eight all-time World Cup winners. A difficult group, of course, does not ensure failure. The U.S. emerged in 2002 from meeting hosts South Korea, Portugal and Poland. In 2014, it qualified from a group that included Portugal, Germany and longtime nemesis Ghana. This time around, though, the U.S. will shoulder enormous expectations. Plus, as hosts, the Americans are in Pot 1, which means they will avoid international soccer's biggest superpowers, including Spain, Argentina, England and France. That seeding, however, does not eliminate all possible challenges. The following is a look at some of the best-case and worst-case scenarios, as well as potential groups that might carry intriguing storylines. Imagine opening up the World Cup against Erling Haaland, the goal-scoring freak motivated by making his World Cup debut. If you don't manage a result there, you have to pivot to play an extremely capable and dangerous Colombia team, and then you close the group against a team like Ukraine, Sweden or Poland. We agree that Norway is the scariest team in Pot 3. In Pot 2, Colombia is the best, but, in the interest of variety, I'll note that Morocco, a 2022 semifinalist, would be similarly challenging. (So would Croatia, but, as we'll cover below, drawing a European foe from Pot 2 would lessen the likelihood of drawing tough European opposition from Pot 3 or 4.) As Paul noted, path “B” almost guarantees a difficult matchup. This is a mix of weaker opponents and favorable scheduling. The U.S. knows it will start against a team from Pot 3. Opening up the tournament as heavy favorites against Qatar would give the USMNT a chance for a positive result and some momentum. Then, if you need a result in the final group game, it's against a New Zealand team that the U.S. would definitely expect to beat. As Paul covers, the thought experiment here is: From which pot do you want your European team? (Each group must have one, so a U.S.-Australia-South Africa-New Zealand pairing isn't possible.) Fleshed out, the question is: Do you hope for the weakest possible team from Pot 2 (Australia or Iran) and accept the subsequent likelihood of a European playoff team from Pot 4? Or would it be best to get a European team from Pot 2 because it opens up a path to Jordan, Cape Verde or New Zealand in Pot 4? Australia, Scotland and Cape Verde or New Zealand is intriguing, but I'll go with the latter and note that drawing any side from the bottom third of Pot 3 — Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa — would be a very favorable outcome for the USMNT. Elo ratings: Austria (23rd), Qatar (84th), Ghana (80th) — or Iran (33rd), South Africa (77th), Bosnia and Herzegovina (68th) President Donald Trump has sparred with South Africa's government, recently protesting a G-20 summit and claiming White South Africans were being racially discriminated against. Trump has been at odds with Colombian president Gustavo Petro, one of the few world leaders who has been willing to openly criticize the U.S. president. (Petro recently called Trump a “barbarian” for his military attacks on boats allegedly carrying illicit drugs.) Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has been controversial in geopolitical circles for years but is, for now, enjoying warm relations with Trump, who recently welcomed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House for the first time since the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents. And lastly, for political intrigue, Ukraine is the obvious pick from Pot 4. A chance to go at the Swiss again at the World Cup could be seen as a marker of growth. The U.S.'s history with Ghana at the World Cup is well-documented, with losses in 2006 and 2010 before finally getting a win in 2014. From Pot 3, it would be amazing to see Haaland at SoFi Stadium in the U.S. opener. And from Pot 4, I'd love to see a World Cup debutant like Kosovo or Albania. Games against Korea's Son Heung-min, Norway's Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard and Poland's Robert Lewandowski would deliver the type of major star power you'd expect from a World Cup, even avoiding the powerhouse teams stocked with the biggest names in global soccer. Luis Díaz has never played at a World Cup. He debuted for Colombia shortly after the 2018 tournament. Egypt, meanwhile, has Mohamed Salah, who is in decline but still talented. Turkey, which beat the U.S. in a June friendly, has two dynamite 20-year-old attackers, Arda Güler and Kenan Yildiz. We close with a reminder that, for all the potential excitement detailed above, the most likely scenarios are far more boring. In most of these scenarios, the U.S. will be favored to advance from — though maybe not win — its group. Its legacy will be earned in the knockout rounds.

Wenger, now FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, made the pledge to ensure football's world governing body would ensure next summer is a spectacular success. Former Arsenal boss Wenger spoke passionately at last summer's Club World Cup which almost became a dress rehearsal for the main event next June and July. Wenger acknowledged the pitches “were not perfect” and that is a sentiment which was echoed by Chelsea captain Reece James who of course led his side to success in the tournament. Wenger is an ideal figurehead for FIFA because the Frenchman was, as a club manager, not backwards in coming forwards when it came to criticism about international football and major tournaments. Now he is one of the main characters making sure it goes well. In fairness to FIFA, they have listened and while kick-off times have yet to be confirmed, that is clearly part of the reason why this draw has almost become a two day event. Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel will attend coaches work shops across two days of meetings in Washington when they are likely to agree 26-player squads for the 48-team tournament - which is obviously an extra round of games than in 2022. Tuchel has already admitted that he wants games to start later, even if it means they are played in the early hours rather than prime time European slots. That will not go down well with fans back home and could cost pubs and clubs millions in lost revenues if games kick-off well beyond midnight as they did at the Club World Cup. The United States boasts “indoor stadiums” which can host games under a roof with full air conditioning and the stadium in Atlanta is a spectacular example. Los Angeles and Dallas have similar stadiums and facilities while the final on July 19 is expected to kick off at 3pm local in the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey which is 8pm UK. But the draw goes into extra time on Saturday because while the nations will discover their opponents on Friday, they will only get their full match schedule, dates and venues 24 hours later. That is clearly to cope with a more demanding agenda and the TV companies will also be anxiously waiting on England's opponents. England could get Scotland and because of the way the pots are drawn in order it means that statistically teams in pots two and three stand a higher chance of being paired with a top seed than the UEFA play-off qualifiers which could include Wales or Northern Ireland. Norway could be a dark horse and it was interesting that Erling Haaland, their global superstar, will be represented in Washington as his dad, Alfie, flew out to the US on Wednesday. Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany. Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia. Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa. Teams will be drawn into their Groups but we will not the full schedule until Saturday when FIFA are hosting another glitzy event to reveal the stadiums, kick-off times and venues. So, England will know who they play after Friday's draw. But the FIFA World Cup wall chart spells it out clearly: matches rather than teams will be assigned to stadium venues. England's dream ticket would be drawn into Group J because that would mean they could potentially play two matches in Kansas City - and that is the location of their preferred World Cup training base The venues are split into Western Regions - Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles - and Central Regions - Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City - and finally Eastern (Atlanta, Miami, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, New York/New Jersey. That means top four seeds Spain, Argentina, France and England are on course to meet in the semis rather like in the days of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. With the help of Michelob Ultra and FIFA, trophy creator Victor Solomon will have his handmade trophies, first revealed on Thursday's "Fox & Friends," given to the stars of each match. "No bulls---, this team and this opportunity has been one of the funnest creative collaborations I've ever had," Solomon said in an interview with Fox News Digital. Argentina's forward Lionel Messi lifts the FIFA World Cup Trophy as he celebrates with supporters winning the Qatar 2022 World Cup final football match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on Dec. 18, 2022. I think with what we had done with the [NBA] championship bottle previously, I think maybe I had a little equity with the team, but Michelob Ultra came up to me and said, ‘whatever you want to do.' And they really sort of gave me the creative flexibility and freedom to explore what would be a relevant object for this honor." For this past NBA Finals, he also designed championship Michelob Ultra bottles that were given to the Oklahoma City Thunder to celebrate with in the locker room. "I have had the distinct privilege of being a part of such milestones in sports on the basketball side, and I think my partnership with Michelob Ultra was so fun for both sides in reimagining the championship bottle. I think everyone was just kind of like, ‘This was so great, we had such a fun time working together, let's just run it back. And oh, by the way, it's going to be on like the biggest, most craziest international stage of all time,'' Solomon said. "So it's been a blast working with the team again to consider this honor and think about how we can elevate it for such an exciting moment." Each "Superior Player of the Match" for all 104 World Cup matches will be awarded this trophy. "We've heard from every player in every sport, all the players want cups where they can have the moment of being in the locker room and take drinks out of it," Solomon said. So, expect some Michelob Ultras to be drank out of the trophy. But Solomon said that it is a way for the athletes and fans watching at home to have some sort of similarity. "Guys like you and me, when we're done with our day, we might crack a Michelob Ultra, that's our trophy for the day. So as we were looking at the formal approach of this trophy, we loved the idea of it being something that had the functionality to be drank out of if someone wanted to go down that road, just to sort of symbolize the parallel between the fans at home that are watching this, and they're having their own sort of trophy experience with Michelob Ultra and then what Michelob Ultra is owning with their player at the end of the match, they get to crown their achievement too. So that was a very big part of it," Solomon said. A 2026 FIFA World Cup promotion is displayed at MetLife Stadium after an announcement by FIFA on February 5, 2024, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. "When I talk to partners and I talk to leagues, I try to make sure that they understand these guys dedicated their lives in pursuit of this moment," he said. "The object that represents getting to the mountaintop of this experience needs to be as innovative and creative and thoughtful as the players that are in pursuit of them. So having a partner like Michelob Ultra and FIFA that really understood it had sort of appetite for that story to be told was really an exciting part of this process, too." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.