A circle closes for Heidi Klum (52). She will host the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., FIFA announced.
Joining Klum onstage will be other high-profile names: comedian and actor Kevin Hart (46) as well as actor Danny Ramirez (33) were also confirmed for the event.
For Klum, the appearance carries personal significance. Twenty years ago the “Queen of Drags” and “Project Runway” host stood on the World Cup draw stage — back then in her homeland Germany, ahead of the 2006 Summer Fairy Tale. “Moderating the draw again, after I was part of it in my home country 20 years ago, is truly extraordinary,” Klum raves. The World Cup has a way of bringing people together like nothing else. Being part of that magic is an incredible honor for her.
Top-Tier Musical Lineup
Millions of viewers around the world can expect a star-studded entertainment slate. Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli (67) will perform, as will pop icon Robbie Williams (51). U.S. singer Nicole Scherzinger (47) is also slated to take the stage. After the draw for the World Cup groups is completed, the Village People will perform their anthem “Y.M.C.A.” — a performance that had recently been claimed by the Trump administration (TheColu.mn reported).
That brings us to the most controversial staffing choice for the draw: White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt recently announced that President Donald Trump will attend the draw. It remains unclear to what extent the commander-in-chief, who loves to grab all the attention, will be involved. He had recently stirred controversy by threatening to move World Cup games from Democratic-led U.S. cities to other venues.
For the World Cup finals hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, 48 national teams will participate for the first time. The tournament begins on June 11, 2026. The final is scheduled for July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The draw-show will begin at 6:00 p.m. German time (which is noon Eastern Time) and will be streamed live on ZDF, FIFA.com, and the FIFA’s social media channels.
