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Trump announces Kennedy Center as FIFA World Cup draw venue while praising DC crime crackdown
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President Donald Trump praised the administration’s crackdown on crime in Washington, D.C., on Friday as he announced that the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place at the Kennedy Center on Dec. 5.
The president was joined by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in the Oval Office for Friday’s announcement. Trump, now the chairman of the Kennedy Center, confirmed that the draw for the group stage will take place at the performing arts venue.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, right, hands the FIFA World Cup Winners Trophy to President Donald Trump during an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
“On Dec. 5 of this year, the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw will take place at the Kennedy Center. Some people refer to it as the Trump-Kennedy Center, but we’re not prepared to do that quite yet – maybe in a week or so,” Trump said, drawing laughter from the group.
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“But right here in Washington, D.C., it’s a tremendous honor to bring the global event and this incredible group of people and these unbelievable athletes – the best athletes in the world – to the cultural center of our nation’s capital.”
Trump also took the opportunity to highlight his administration’s federal takeover of D.C. in an effort to crack down on crime.
“By the way, in Washington, D.C., we have the lowest crime numbers they’ve had in years. Zero. It’s a horrible thing to say, but I might as well say it, zero murders in the last week since we’ve done this. That’s the first time in memory that that’s happened. If you can believe it. How pathetic that is to have to even say it.”
Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks at a press conference after President Donald Trump announced a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department at the Wilson Building on August 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
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“It was unsafe. It was horrible,” the president continued, “And Mayor [Muriel] Bowser better get her act straight or she won’t be mayor very long because we’ll take it over with the federal government, run it like it’s supposed to be run.”
Trump quipped to Infantino that the city “will be nice” just in time for the draw, joking that the Italian sports figure “could handle yourself” regardless.
“The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest, most complex set of events in sports history, and the Kennedy Center will give it a phenomenal kickoff and will be involved, and they’ll be working over there for quite a bit of time. We have it all set so that they can stay there for the big events, the big press conferences and everything else. And they’ll be in a very safe capital. That will be nice. You don’t have to worry about walking down the street, Johnny, okay? But you could handle yourself.”
President Donald Trump speaks alongside the FIFA World Cup Winners Trophy in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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Trump established a White House task force earlier this year in anticipation of the Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be predominantly hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico will also play host to several matches.
The international tournament, spanning North America, will begin in June 2026 and is the first World Cup in more than two decades that will take place in multiple countries. The tournament will be hosted in 16 cities, beginning with 48 teams and playing 104 matches in total.
In the U.S., matches will be played in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia and East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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Legendary England batter Geoffrey Boycott on Monday advised the Ben Stokes-led side to adopt a more strategic and thoughtful approach ahead of the second Ashes Test against Australia, scheduled for Thursday in Brisbane.
England suffered an agonising eight-wicket defeat in the series opener in Perth, which lasted less than two days, the first of which was dominated by the touring side as they had reduced the hosts to 123/9 after accumulating 172 all out.
The visitors now face another gruelling challenge in the blockbuster series as they take on the Baggy Greens in a pink-ball Test, in which the hosts boast a dominant record, having lost just one out of their previous 14 appearances, but Boycott, who has won Ashes both in England and Australia, believes that the Three Lions can win the upcoming game by adopting a calculated strategy.
He, however, warned England batters of self-destruction, advising them to “use their brains” and decide whether to attack or hold back after analysing the situation.
“But it doesn’t help our chances of success if Ben Stokes keeps encouraging our batsmen to attack, attack with one finger hovering over the self-destruct button,” Boycott wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.
“Nobody is asking the players to stop being positive because they have given us some marvellous, thrilling and entertaining cricket. All we ask is for them to use their brains and realise there are times when they should throttle back and be aware of situations and bat accordingly,” he added.
Boycott, who represented England in 108 Tests and 36 ODIs, also slammed Stokes for his comments in which he referred to former cricketers as “has-beens” but expressed satisfaction over the all-rounder’s partial apology.
“To call past players ‘has-beens’ was disrespectful, especially as some of those ‘has-beens’ played in teams that won the Ashes in England and Australia,” Boycott wrote.
“I am glad Ben has half apologised, saying it was a slip of the tongue, because none of this team has won the Ashes in Australia. Get the job done, because then you don’t need to say anything and you can bask in all the glory coming your way.”
The Copa Libertadores trophy won by Flamengo on Saturday was damaged during the team’s title celebrations.
Flamengo beat Palmeiras 1-0 in the final in Lima, Peru, to become the first Brazilian club to lift the prestigious cup four times.
Flamengo players and staff had a victory parade on the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday afternoon, with an estimated 500,000 people joining in the celebrations.
Players and staff took turns to lift the cup during the parade and images showed that the top part of the trophy, which consists of a figurine of a footballer ready to kick a ball, was wrapped in what appeared to be masking tape.
– Flamengo lift Copa Libertadores, but Brazil’s players look exhausted
The figurine had earlier been broken.
Flamengo will be hoping to wrap up the Brazilian league title on Wednesday when they take on Ceara in front of their own fans in Rio’s Maracana stadium.
They are five points clear of Palmeiras at the top of the standings with two games remaining.
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