Global icons Heidi Klum and Kevin Hart to co-host final draw show at Kennedy Center in Washington DC
Actor and producer Danny Ramirez to engage football greats in attendance, bringing Hollywood flair
Live performances to be delivered by legendary maestro Andrea Bocelli, Village People and global music superstar Robbie Williams, who will be joined by award-winning multi-hyphenate Nicole Scherzinger
FIFA today unveiled the world-class entertainment line-up for the show to be held for the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026
, which is set to take place at the historic John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC at 12:00 ET (18:00 CET) on Friday, 5 December 2025. With millions of viewers expected around the globe, the show will bring together some of the most recognisable names in entertainment as football’s biggest stage prepares for a landmark moment.
The show will be co-hosted by supermodel, producer and Emmy-winning television personality Heidi Klum; Kevin Hart, one of the most successful comedians and actors of his generation; and actor and producer Danny Ramirez, who will bring warmth and Hollywood flair to this highly anticipated event on the road to 2026.
“To be hosting the final draw again, after having been involved in this show 20 years ago in my home country, is truly extraordinary,” said Klum, who is returning to the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup stage, having previously taken part in the event ahead of the 2006 tournament in Germany. “The World Cup brings the world together like nothing else, and being part of that magic again, on an even bigger stage involving three host countries and 48 teams, is an incredible honour.”
“As someone who grew up playing football, getting to co-host the draw and meet and speak with World Cup legends at such a high-profile event is a dream,” said Ramirez. “With this tournament coming to the United States, where I was born, and Mexico, where some of my roots lie, it is even more special – and I couldn’t be more excited to be part of this show.”
The audience will be treated to some remarkable live performances. Maestro Andrea Bocelli, one of the most acclaimed classical voices in history, will take the stage alongside global superstar Robbie Williams, who will perform with American singer and award-winning multi-hyphenate Nicole Scherzinger. Once the draw has concluded, Village People will treat the audience to an iconic performance of Y.M.C.A., their global anthem.
While today’s announcement reveals the entertainment cast for the final draw show, the names of the draw conductors and assistants who will oversee the official draw proceedings will be unveiled in due course.
Live coverage of the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be available on FIFA.comand the FIFA World Cup social media channels. The draw will also be broadcast by FIFA’s Media Partners across the globe.
Biographies (images can be downloaded for editorial purposes on the FIFA Digital Hub)
Maestro Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli is a globally celebrated Italian tenor who has sold over 90 million records since rising to fame after winning the Newcomers section at the Sanremo Music Festival 1994. Renowned for his interpretations of major operatic works under legendary conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Seiji Ozawa and Zubin Mehta, he has earned six Grammy and six Latin Grammy nominations and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Bocelli has performed for world leaders and popes, as well as at global events including the Olympic Games and World Expos. He founded the Andrea Bocelli Foundation to advance education and healthcare worldwide. His 2020 Easter performance at Milan’s Duomo has become one of the most-watched classical livestreams in history.
Kevin Hart
Kevin Hart is an American actor, comedian, producer and global entertainment superstar known for his high-energy humour and blockbuster presence on stage and screen. His comedy special “Acting My Age” is the number one standup special on Netflix. Rising from Philadelphia stand-up clubs to international fame, Hart has headlined record-breaking comedy tours; starred in hit films such as Ride Along, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Central Intelligence; and built a multifaceted career spanning movies, television, fitness and entrepreneurship. With his trademark fast-paced wit and infectious personality, Hart has become one of the most recognisable stars in global entertainment.
Heidi Klum
Heidi Klum is a supermodel, producer and Emmy-winning television personality whose influence has shaped global fashion and entertainment for over 25 years. She rose to international prominence on the covers of magazines like Vogue, Elle and Marie Claire, became a standout Sports Illustrated cover star and earned iconic status as a Victoria’s Secret Angel. As host,
co-creator and executive producer of Project Runway for 16 seasons, she helped the show earn 14 consecutive Emmy nominations, and she returned to host its 21st season earlier this year. Klum has been a judge on America’s Got Talent for a decade and continues to lead Germany’s Next Topmodel, a major hit for 20 seasons. Beyond fashion and television, she is known for her philanthropic work, supporting the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, God’s Love We Deliver and The Foundation for AIDS Research.
Danny Ramirez
Danny Ramirez is a dynamic, fast-rising actor known for his versatility across film and television. He recently reprised his Marvel role as Joaquin Torres in Captain America: Brave New World and appeared in HBO’s The Last of Us as well as Netflix’s Black Mirror. His breakout global success came with Top Gun: Maverick, which earned multiple major award nominations. He is preparing his feature directorial debut, Baton, a football drama he wrote and will star in. Born in Chicago and raised in Miami, Ramirez is of Colombian and Mexican descent. He studied at New York University, playing football before earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Tisch School of the Arts.
Nicole Scherzinger
Winner of a Tony Award earlier this year for her acclaimed performance in Sunset Blvd.,
multi-hyphenate, Grammy-nominated singer Nicole Scherzinger has been hailed as “an astonishing force of nature” (The Washington Post). Known as the frontwoman for global pop phenomenon the Pussycat Dolls, Scherzinger has topped charts worldwide with hits like Don’t Cha and Buttons, as well as solo singles including Heartbeat. Her versatility spans genres and stages – from performing with Andrea Bocelli to an Olivier Award-nominated role in the West End revival of Cats and voicing Sina in Disney’s Moana and Moana 2. Scherzinger has fronted major television franchises internationally, including The X Factor (United Kingdom), Australia’s Got Talent, FOX’s hit series The Masked Singer and Netflix’s Building the Band.
Robbie Williams
FIFA Music Ambassador Robbie Williams is one of the world’s most successful recording artists, with over 90 million albums sold, a record 18 BRIT Awards and as many UK number-one albums as the Beatles. His Oscar-nominated biopic Better Man premiered globally last year to critical acclaim, followed by the release of its original soundtrack. His four-part Netflix documentary series became a global hit in 2023, reaching number one in 22 countries. Earlier this year, Williams announced his new album BRITPOP (due to be released on 6 February 2026), accompanied by a hugely successful stadium and arena tour that drew more than 1.2 million fans across the UK and Europe. Since co-founding Soccer Aid for UNICEF in 2006, he has helped raise GBP 121 million for charitable causes around the globe.
Village People
Village People is one of the world’s most iconic music groups, with their global anthem Y.M.C.A. – and its famous dance – cemented in pop culture, helping to drive over 100 million record sales worldwide. Created in 1977 around original lead singer and songwriter Victor Willis, the group quickly rose to international fame, achieving multiple platinum and gold albums during the disco era before Willis’s departure in 1979. After periods of touring without him, Willis returned in 2017, restoring the original live-band concept and leading the group back onto the charts. With Y.M.C.A. now inducted into both the National Recording Registry at the US Library of Congress and the Grammy Hall of Fame, Village People continues to perform globally and remains more popular than ever.
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