The 2026 World Cup draw, which will be held next Friday Washington, DCSharing this will be one of your most memorable moments Lionel Scaloniwho will be responsible for bringing the World Cup to the stage. This gesture, which refers to the ceremony that preceded the World Cup in Qatar when Didier Deschamps lifted the trophy after becoming a champion with France, represents new international recognition for the Argentine coach, the current world champion with France. Argentine national team. The ceremony, which will be hosted by Heidi Klum and Kevin Hart, and in the presence of figures such as Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Aaron Judge, Wayne Gretzky and Eli Manning, will mark the beginning of global anticipation for the tournament, which will be held between June 11 and July 19, 2026.
Scaloni, who traveled to the United States with Pablo Aimar, Matias Manna, Luis Martin and Juan Tamone, will join his coaching staff after completing this leadership role to get to know the competitors who will share the group with the team. Argentina. Roberto Ayala is already waiting for him in New York, where he participated in the Argentine Football Association (AFA) event in the city. Upon his arrival in the United States, the coach expressed his satisfaction with being in the World Cup draw again: “I have known about this for a short time, and it is a pleasure to be able to be in the World Cup draw again, with maximum expectations.”.
The draw will determine the formation of the twelve groups for the competition, which will compete Argentina It will start from the first level, avoiding teams such as Mexico, Canada, the United States, Spain, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany in the first stage. Comparing the current situation with the situation before the previous World Cup, Scaloni said: “Compared to the previous round, I’m a little calmer. Last time we made more calculations, and after the draw we will do all the possible calculations.”. In addition, he talked about the difficulty of the tournament and the quality of the competitors: “Given what happened in the last World Cup, all the calculations we made in the end, many of them did not happen. The most important thing is to face the best. There are a lot of good calculations. It will be a very difficult World Cup.”.
The concert will also include performances by world-famous artists. Tenor Andrea Bocelli, singer Robbie Williams, American Nicole Scherzinger and the Village People, who will perform their classic “YMCA”, will be responsible for providing the musical framework for a day that brings together high-ranking figures from sports and entertainment.
Regarding the logistics and format of the tournament, Scaloni expected the organization to be different from that of Qatar, due to the regional extension of the United States. Regarding the team’s readiness, the coach said: “I would love for us to keep fighting, fighting as if this team hasn’t won anything, which is what any footballer should really do, keep trying to win.”. Regarding the possible participation of Lionel Messi, Scaloni said: “He will decide, we will accompany him. At the moment everything is going well but there is not enough time. Although the World Cup seems close, six months is a long time. Let him make the best decision for himself and the national team. He is very mature and has deserved it.”.
Finally, he pointed to the controversy surrounding the World Cup final against Spain, which has not yet been confirmed and could play out closer to the World Cup. “Not because of discomfort, but because I think it could have been played before. We are waiting, we have no news. I traveled with Luis de la Fuente, the coach of Spain and my friend, who gave me a training course, and he has no absolute confirmation either.”