2026 World Cup Draw: Tom Brady Headlines Star-Studded Draw Assistants

FIFA on Wednesday announced the draw assistants for Friday's 2026 World Cup draw and the cast is stacked with North American sports legends, including seven-time Super Bowl champion and FOX Sports' lead NFL analyst Tom Brady. "Being part of the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup is an incredible honor — it’s the kind of global stage every athlete dreams of," said Brady. "I’m excited to help set the path for a tournament that brings the world together like nothing else." The Final Draw, which FOX will broadcast live from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Friday starting at 11:30 a.m. ET, is where the 48 countries participating in next summer's FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States will discover their group stage matchups. Brady will assist in the drawing of the pots alongside NHL Hall of Famer and four-time Stanley Cup champion Wayne Gretzky, seven-time MLB All-Star Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and four-time NBA champion and Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal. "I follow soccer closely, so being part of the World Cup draw is incredibly special," reflected Judge. "With the final set for New York New Jersey — right where I play — I can’t wait to see which teams will be battling for the title in our own backyard." FIFA also announced that former England captain and Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand will conduct the draw with award-winning international broadcaster Samantha Johnson, and two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning will serve as the red carpet host. The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday, June 11. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!