VIDEO SHOWS: FILE OF AMERICAN SPORTING ICONS PARTICIPATING IN 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP DRAW / STILL PHOTOGRAPHS RESENDING WITH FULL SCRIPT SHOWS: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, UNITED STATES (FILE – FEBRUARY 9, 2024) (Reuters – Access all) 1. VARIOUS OF FORMER NFL QUARTERBACK, TOM BRADY, MINGLING AT EVENT SHOWCASING HIS SEVEN SUPERBOWL RINGS FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES (FILE – AUGUST 8, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 2. BRADY STANDING IN FRONT OF HIS STATUE AT GILLETTE STADIUM 3. BRADY POSING NEXT TO NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS CHEERLEADERS 4. BRADY POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH FANS 5. VARIOUS OF BRADY TALKING TO MEDIA HOUSTON, TEXAS, UNITED STATES (FILE – FEBRUARY 5, 2017) (USA TODAY SPORTS – Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA Today Sports) (MUTE) 6. STILL PHOTO SHOWING BRADY DURING SUPER BOWL LI AS THE PATRIOTS BEAT THE ATLANTA FALCONS 34-28 IN OVERTIME, BRADY'S FIFTH SUPER BOWL TITLE TAMPA, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (FILE – FEBRUARY 7, 2021) (REUTERS – Access all) (MUTE) 7. STILL PHOTO SHOWING BRADY WITH THE VINCE LOMBARDI TROPHY AS THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS BEAT THE CHIEFS 31-9 AT SUPER BOWL LV, A RECORD SEVENTH SUPER BOWL TITLE FOR BRADY AND HIS ONLY WITH THE BUCS LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE – JULY 18, 2024) (REUTERS – Access all) 8. VARIOUS OF FORMER NBA STAR, SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, POSING FOR PHOTOS AT 'GIN & JUICE' LAUNCH EVENT NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, UNITED STATES (FILE – FEBRUARY 7, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 9. O'NEAL GREETING GUESTS AT 'SHAQ'S FUN HOUSE' SUPER BOWL PARTY EVENT 10. O'NEAL POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH HIS SON MYLES O'NEAL 11. O'NEAL SPEAKING TO MEDIA LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE – MAY 31, 2002) (REUTERS – Access all) (MUTE) 12. STILL OF O'NEAL AFTER THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS IN 106-102 WIN OVER SACRAMENTO KINGS IN GAME SIX OF WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES (FILE – MAY 31, 2002) (REUTERS – Access all) (MUTE) 13. STILL OF O'NEAL HOLDING NBA CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY AND SERIES MVP TROPHY AFTER DEFEATING PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 108-96 IN GAME FIVE NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE – DECEMBER 21, 2022) (REUTERS – Access all) 14. AARON JUDGE BUTTONING UP PINSTRIPE JERSEY AFTER RENEWING HIS CONTRACT WITH THE NEW YORK YANKEES 15. JUDGE PUTTING ON A YANKEES' CAP, RECEIVING APPLAUSE 16. JUDGE POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH FORMER YANKEES TEAM CAPTAINS, WILLIE RANDOLPH (LEFT) AND DEREK JETER (RIGHT) CUMBERLAND, GEORGIA, UNITED STATES (FILE – JULY 20, 2025) (IMAGN IMAGES – Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images) (MUTE) 17. STILL OF JUDGE AFTER HITTING A HOME RUN IN 4-2 WIN OVER ATLANTA BRAVES WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES (FILE – APRIL 4, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 18. NHL GREAT WAYNE GRETZKY SITTING DOWN AT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH WASHINGTON CAPITALS FORWARD ALEX OVECHKIN AFTER OVECHKIN SCORED TWO GOALS TO EQUAL GRETZKY CAREER GOALS RECORD OF 894 19. OVECHKIN SPEAKING DURING PRESS CONFERENCE TORONTO, CANADA (FILE – NOVEMBER 22, 1999) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (NHL/ESPN INTERNATIONAL – Must courtesy: “NHL/ESPN International”) 20. GRETZKY JERSEY/ GRETZKY BEING APPLAUDED AS HE ARRIVES ON STAGE FOR HIS NHL ICE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME INDUCTION 21. GRETZKY WAVING EDMONTON, CANADA (FILE – MAY 26, 1988) (REUTERS – Access all) (MUTE) 22. STILL OF NHL GREAT, WAYNE GRETZKY, HOISTING UP THE STANLEY CUP WITH THE EDMONTON OILERS NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE – FEBRUARY 14, 1999) (REUTERS – Access all) (MUTE) 23. STILL PHOTO OF GRETZKY AFTER SHOOTING FOR THE NEW YORK RANGERS OTTAWA, CANADA (FILE – APRIL 15, 1999) (REUTERS – Access all) (MUTE) 24. STILL PHOTO OF GRETZKY WAVING TO FANS IN WHAT WOULD BE HIS LAST REGULAR SEASON GAME BEFORE RETIREMENT STORY: Sports legends from outside of soccer, including football's Tom Brady, basketball's Shaquille O'Neal, hockey's Wayne Gretzky and current All-Star baseball player Aaron Judge, will assist with the World Cup draw on Friday (December 5) in Washington, D.C. FIFA announced on Wednesday the lineup of current and former sports stars as well as entertainers in the event at the Kennedy Center. The show will reveal the group-stage matchups for the first-ever 48-team World Cup. The World Cup, expanded from 32 teams, is being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Matches will be played at 16 venues, including three in Mexico and two in Canada. The draw will sort the teams into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-place teams will advance to the knockout stage. With 42 teams already qualified, 22 others will be competing in playoffs for the final six berths in the coming months. English Premier League Hall of Fame member Rio Ferdinand, a former Manchester United captain with 81 England caps, will conduct the draw. The co-conductor is broadcaster Samantha Johnson. The four sports legends will serve as assistants, each assigned one pot and picking the names of teams assigned to a group, from Group A to L. "Soccer has a unique power to unite people from all over the world and create a positive impact, and I cannot wait to see this happening in North America next year and beyond, when we host the biggest-ever FIFA World Cup," Gretzky, a four-time Stanley Cup champion and record-setting NHL player, said in a FIFA news release. "I'm thrilled to be part of the draw that will decide the fate of the participating teams — and stir emotions across the world. This will be an unforgettable moment for me personally." Brady, who won seven Super Bowls before he retired, is a part owner of the English Championship club Birmingham City. "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," Brady said in the news release. "I'm excited to help set the path for a tournament that brings the world together like nothing else." Eli Manning, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants, is the red carpet host for Friday's event. (Production: Conal Quinn)
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