WASHINGTON, D.C. – New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge will be one of the prominent figures participating this Friday in the Final Draw of the FIFA World Cup 2026, an event that will reveal the tournament groups which, for the first time, will feature 48 national teams.

You may be interested in: The draw will take place at 12:00 p.m. ET in the American capital and will have as its main host football legend Rio Ferdinand, former captain of the English national team. Judge will be one of the four assistants in charge of supporting the development of the draw.

Alongside icons of world sport

Judge will share the stage with three historical figures from different disciplines:

• Tom Brady, American football star
• Shaquille O’Neal, basketball icon
• Wayne Gretzky, ice hockey legend

The presence of these personalities is part of the multi-sectoral approach that FIFA has planned for an event that marks a milestone in the history of world football.

A special quote for Judge

The Yankees captain expressed his enthusiasm for participating in the global event:

“I follow soccer closely, so being part of the World Cup draw is incredibly special. With the final scheduled for New York/New Jersey —right where I play— I can’t wait to see which teams will fight for the title in our own backyard”, Judge said in a FIFA statement.

A historic World Cup

The 2026 World Cup will be jointly organized by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, being the first in history with 48 teams distributed in 12 groups of four national teams each. The grand final will take place on July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a few kilometers from Yankee Stadium.

An International Year for Judge

Aaron Judge’s participation in global sporting events will continue months later, when he assumes the role of team captain for the United States team in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, the most important international tournament in his discipline.