Tom Brady And Shaquille O'Neal Become Assistants For The 2026 World Cup

Tom Brady, NFL star, will be an assistant in the 2026 World Cup (Instagram/@tombrady) drawing.

JAKARTA - Tom Brady and Shaquille O'Neal are the two main stars who will help draw the 2026 World Cup on Friday, December 5, 2025, or Saturday, December 6, 2025, early morning WIB, in Washington DC.

The seven-time Super Bowl winner and former NBA Hall of Fame member, Wayne Gretzky, will join former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand, along with Slugger totaling, Aaron Judge, and former NHL star Wayne Gretzky, as part of the team on stage as the ball is drawn to place the participating countries of the 2026 World Cup into the predetermined group.

"Being part of the World Cup draw is an extraordinary honor. This is a global stage that every athlete dreams of."

"I'm delighted to be able to help prepare a tournament that brings the world together in a way that is second to none," Brady, co-owner of the English Championship club Birmingham City, said in a FIFA release.

The Fedi Klum model will host alongside actors Kevin Hart and Danny Ramirez ahead of the draw. The entertainment planned for the ceremony included the winners of the Tony Award and Olivier Award, Nicole Scherzinger, Andrea Bocelli, and Robbie Williams. Then, The Village People plan to feature YMCA.

Former NFL star (National Football League), Eli Manning, will host a red carpet event.

At the draw event FIFA will also hand over its inaugural Peace Award, which they think will recognize the extraordinary action for peace.

A total of 64 countries will participate in the 2026 World Cup draw, more than 30 percent of FIFA members.

FIFA expanded the number of participants from 32 teams to 48 teams for the 2026 edition. Only 42 countries have confirmed themselves qualify for the finals ahead of the draw.

The remaining six tickets are still being contested by 22 teams in the Interconfederation playoffs and the UEFA zone on March 31, 2026.

There will be 104 matches, not 64 matches like the previous edition, at the 2026 World Cup which will take place from 11 June to 19 July 2026 in 16 locations across North America.

A total of 78 matches will take place in 11 NFL stadiums, including all matches from the quarter-finals. Then, as many as Mexico and Canada will have 13 matches each.

The final will take place at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where there will be a part-time show for the first time.

In addition to the 12 group winners and the second-ranked country, the eight best third-placed teams will advance to the round of 32. So, the winners of the 2026 World Cup will play eight matches.