The upcoming FIFA World Cup draw, initially anticipated to be a glitzy affair in Las Vegas, has been controversially relocated to the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. This decision, announced by former President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, marks a significant departure from expectations and has raised questions about political influence in major sports events. Despite extensive prior negotiations and preparations for a Las Vegas-based draw, including venue reservations and event planning by the U.S. Soccer Federation, a last-minute shift has occurred, much to the dismay of event organizers and host city committees. This unexpected change underscores the evolving relationship between global sports organizations and political figures, prioritizing accessibility for key political figures over the established logistical and entertainment appeal of other proposed locations.
On a recent Friday, hours before a joint press conference involving Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino, MGM Resorts in Las Vegas received an email from FIFA. The message, brief and to the point, indicated that their proposal to host the World Cup draw had been declined. This rejection came despite widespread anticipation that Las Vegas would be the chosen location for the competition's draw. However, a persistent underlying factor had always been the desire to ensure former President Trump's ease of participation, should he choose to attend.
That afternoon, this underlying suspicion was confirmed. In an unexpected announcement from the Oval Office, Trump declared that the draw would be held at the Kennedy Center, a performing arts venue in Washington D.C. Sources familiar with the discussions, who remained anonymous to protect their relationships, indicated that Trump's administration proposed the venue, and Infantino agreed, despite many FIFA officials favoring Las Vegas. FIFA declined to comment, and the White House spokesperson provided a transcript of the press conference without directly addressing the venue selection process.
During his second term, Trump assumed the role of chairman for the Kennedy Center, which is named after the 35th U.S. President, John F. Kennedy. In February, Trump voiced strong criticism against the content showcased at the venue, stating, \"We don’t need woke at the Kennedy Center.\" Through a post on Truth Social, he further asserted that the center would feature \"no more drag shows or anti-American propaganda.\" His administration subsequently removed eighteen board members appointed by his predecessor, Joe Biden, transforming what was once a bipartisan board into one loyal to Trump, with appointments such as his chief of staff Susie Wiles and Usha Vance, Vice President JD Vance's wife. He also announced plans to host the upcoming Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, claiming to have rejected \"wokesters\" as potential award recipients.
Congressman Bob Onder (R-MO) recently introduced legislation titled the Make Entertainment Great Again Act, which aims to rename the Kennedy Center after Trump. Onder lauded Trump as one of the most significant cultural figures of the last four decades. Trump himself lightheartedly commented on the potential name change during Friday's press conference with Infantino.
This decision by FIFA marks another instance where the organization appears to go to great lengths to accommodate Trump. This summer, FIFA established an office in Trump Tower in New York City, opting for it over other potential spaces like the Empire State Building. The Club World Cup final concluded with a ceremony where Trump presented the trophy to Premier League team Chelsea. He participated in the trophy lift and subsequently took the trophy back to the White House, where it remains in his office, alongside a winner's medal. Infantino also took part in an unusual event in the Oval Office in June, where the Italian team Juventus, accompanied by its owner, CEO, and key players, was brought to a press conference with Trump on the afternoon of their Club World Cup match against Al Ain in D.C.
Over the past six months, various individuals involved in the draw venue negotiations have frequently communicated with The Athletic. FIFA had publicly kept silent regarding the location of the draw for the 48-team competition. Negotiations with venues in Las Vegas had progressed significantly, leading the U.S. Soccer Federation to reserve event spaces and hotel rooms, intending to host a soccer-specific conference alongside the draw, anticipating the presence of many key stakeholders in the city. Plans were so advanced that save-the-date notifications were distributed to essential personnel.
A Las Vegas draw would have echoed the 1994 men’s World Cup draw, the only previous time the United States hosted the competition. That event was a star-studded, Americanized spectacle featuring performances by James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Barry Manilow, Sir Rod Stewart, and Robin Williams, with a video appearance by President Bill Clinton.
Other locations were swiftly dismissed. In January, Alejandro Hutt, director of the host committee in Monterrey, Mexico, informed ESPN that both Monterrey and Vancouver, Canada, had expressed interest in hosting the draw but were told by FIFA that the event would be held elsewhere. Canada and Mexico are each slated to host 13 of the 104 World Cup matches across North America, yet Infantino is more frequently seen alongside Trump than with his Canadian or Mexican counterparts. Sources suggest that sporting and political leaders in Canada and Mexico have expressed frustration over their diminishing profile in the lead-up to next year's tournament. The recent announcement of the draw location by one country's leader is unlikely to alleviate these concerns.
Trump, who was in his first presidential term when the joint bid for the 2026 World Cup was accepted in 2018, jokingly remarked on Friday that the U.S. "did a little" for Canada and Mexico by allowing them to share the tournament. He quipped, "See, I’m a good citizen. I said, ‘Let them have a little piece.’ So, we gave a little to Canada. See how nice I am? And we gave a little bit to Mexico."
Many FIFA officials privately favored a return to Las Vegas, eager to leverage the nostalgia of the 1994 event and create a grand festival-style spectacle that could resonate nationally, even amidst the NFL season, beyond merely drawing names from a bowl. They envisioned transforming the draw into an entertainment extravaganza, akin to the excitement generated by drafts in North American sports. FIFA had already experimented with Americanized elements during the Club World Cup, introducing NBA-style individual player walk-ons, featuring Michael Buffer for a pre-game "Let’s get ready to rumble!" chant, and staging a halftime show during the final at MetLife Stadium.
In 2024, the NHL held its draft at The Sphere, a $2.3 billion, 18,000-seat venue in Las Vegas. While on FIFA’s list of potential venues, it was quickly dismissed, likely due to the high costs. T-Mobile Arena, home to the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team, was another favored option, but the NHL regular-season schedule had not been released, hindering planning. FIFA also inquired about the smaller Dolby Live arena, with a capacity of 6,400, but MGM wished to reserve it for residencies and holiday concerts, particularly hoping to secure Mariah Carey. FIFA faced competition not only for venues in Las Vegas but also for hotel rooms. December is a peak tourist season, and Las Vegas hosts the National Finals Rodeo from December 4-13 at the Thomas & Mack Center, attracting over 170,000 attendees over ten days in 2024. Amazon’s 60,000-person conference, AWS re:Invent, is also scheduled in Las Vegas from December 1-5. Discussions were held with resorts and Amazon to secure the necessary hotel space.
FIFA engaged in extensive negotiations with the 17,000-seat MGM Grand Garden Arena, with a deal nearly finalized in May. However, FIFA delayed for several months while reviewing its options. As first reported by Sports Travel Magazine, a group, understood by The Athletic to be MGM, held back thousands of hotel rooms for FIFA until mid-August, when they could no longer afford to risk leaving rooms vacant during the holiday season. FIFA then held discussions with Resorts World, which briefly became the preferred choice. As the summer progressed, MGM lost confidence in the Grand Garden Arena's prospects. FIFA subsequently distanced itself from Resorts World, leaving that group frustrated with FIFA's communication approach. These developments led several Las Vegas venue executives to suspect that FIFA might choose another location. One source jokingly speculated that the event might end up at Mar-A-Lago, Trump's Florida residence, given FIFA’s apparent closeness to the president, while whispers of D.C. resurfaced in recent weeks.
On Friday morning, MGM received a formal thank you from FIFA for its participation in the process, expressing profound disappointment at the outcome. Resorts World did not respond to inquiries for comment, and MGM declined to offer a statement. The news of the pivot from Las Vegas elicited frustration from key stakeholders. The Athletic has learned that multiple host city committees in the U.S. are exasperated by FIFA's decision. While never formally told that Las Vegas would be the destination, it had been implicitly suggested in various discussions. Host cities favored Las Vegas, partly because it was perceived as more politically neutral than an event chaired by Trump in D.C. They wished to host prospective sponsors in Las Vegas, whereas D.C. is seen as a less vibrant experience. Some host city executives are now contemplating whether to attend the draw, believing they could organize more engaging watch parties for sponsors in their own cities. The host cities' disappointment is expected to be conveyed emphatically during an upcoming workshop with FIFA officials in Houston. The cities were not consulted and only learned of the news shortly before Friday's press conference. Some feel that the Kennedy Center, despite its historical significance, is better suited for a formal event or an arts performance rather than the festive atmosphere desired to launch the World Cup. Meanwhile, U.S. Soccer is re-strategizing to move its own conference from Las Vegas to D.C.
While discussions for Vegas progressed, the undercurrent for Washington D.C. never ceased. The Athletic had previously reported in April that some within FIFA had internally floated the White House as a scaled-down venue option. However, this presented significant logistical challenges, particularly given the event's typical scale, requiring thousands of attendees, and the complex security operations involved, especially considering strained relations with certain potential participating countries. Sponsors might also have been hesitant to showcase their products in such an overtly political setting. Some sources in Las Vegas speculated whether the D.C. option was a negotiating tactic by FIFA to maximize concessions from resorts.
After all, Trump, who owns a hotel in Las Vegas, could have traveled to the draw. He delivered a video message for the FIFA Club World Cup draw held in Miami in December 2024, an event attended by his daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and grandson Theo, with Ivanka and Theo even making the ceremonial first picks. Currently, the Kennedy Center—or the Trump-Kennedy Center, as it may or may not soon be known—is within the president's purview, and Infantino’s eagerness to impress Trump should not be underestimated. Infantino held his closing press conference for the Club World Cup in the opulent lobby of Trump Tower in Manhattan. He attended Trump’s inauguration this year and posted ten times that week on Instagram about the new U.S. president, even sporting a red tie at Sunday’s pre-inauguration rally. It is anticipated that Trump will once again be a prominent figure when the draw takes place on December 5.
“The Kennedy Center will provide the World Cup with an outstanding launch,” Trump stated. “We will be involved, and they will be working there for a considerable period. We have arranged for them to stay there for significant events, major press conferences, and all other necessities.”
