It’s official—Las Vegas is set to take center stage this December when football’s biggest event begins to take shape.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 draw will be held on December 5, 2025, according to several reports released this week.
And while Las Vegas won’t be hosting any actual matches during the tournament, that’s not stopping the city from playing a key role in kicking things off.
The Draw Will Shape the Expanded 48-Team Format
This upcoming World Cup will be historic in its own right.
For the first time, 48 nations will take part in the tournament, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The draw in Vegas will split these teams into 12 groups of four, setting the stage for a month of global football action in 2026.
A Familiar Role for Vegas
If this all feels a bit familiar, there’s a good reason.
Back in 1994, when the U.S. last hosted the World Cup, the draw also took place in Las Vegas—even though the city didn’t host any matches then either.
History seems to be repeating itself.
Not at The Sphere After All
There was initial buzz that the draw would be held at The Sphere, a futuristic 17,500-seat venue that opened in 2023 and has quickly become one of Vegas’ most talked-about landmarks.
ESPN even reported it was the top pick for the event.
However, sources from The Sphere confirmed to AFP that it won’t be hosting the draw after all, and ESPN later corrected their report based on that update.
South Africa’s Bafana Bafana Chase a Spot
Meanwhile, back on the pitch, Bafana Bafana—South Africa’s national team—are inching closer to qualifying for what would be only their fourth World Cup appearance.
To make that happen, they’ll need to win both of their upcoming matches in September 2025, against Lesotho and Nigeria.
If they pull it off, they’ll secure a spot with two qualifying games to spare—against Zimbabwe and Rwanda.
Fans Asked to Join the Conversation
As excitement builds, FIFA fans are being invited to weigh in on the road to 2026.
Think the next World Cup will be a success? Got thoughts on the draw location or team matchups?