Why Lionel Messi won't attend the World Cup draw 🤔 | OneFootball

The Flea did not travel to Washington D.C. for the event where Argentina's national team opponents will be revealed for the upcoming World Cup.

Lionel Messi, captain and the greatest symbol of the Argentina National Team, will not attend the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington D.C., an event where the national team's opponents will be revealed for the next world tournament.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the U.S. capital will be the stage for the spectacular ceremony, which will feature the presence of national team coaches and various sports stars.

Despite living in the country, the Flea - captain and emblem of the Albiceleste - did not travel to Washington D.C. The Rosario star stayed in Miami, Florida, focused on the Inter Miami match against Vancouver Whitecaps for the MLS Cup final, a head-to-head for the title that will be this Saturday at Chase Stadium.

Lionel Scaloni, the national team's head coach, traveled to attend the event with his entire coaching staff. He will even have a special role in the ceremony: he will enter with the World Cup at the draw, a privilege FIFA grants to the reigning champion coach, which in 2022 was given to Didier Deschamps.

The lottery for the next World Cup will take place this Friday, December 5, starting at 2 PM (Argentine time), at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. There, FIFA will determine the group formations for the tournament to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Argentina, the reigning champion, will be placed in Pot 1 as a group leader along with the top teams in the FIFA ranking. The Albiceleste team arrives at the draw with the expectation of beginning to plan their path in a World Cup that, for the first time, will have 48 teams and an expanded format.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.