| Keyword |
Description |
| Tournament |
Series of games or matches to decide one overall winner |
| Tariffs |
Special taxes on imported or exported goods between different countries |
| Disagreements |
Situations when people or countries do not think the same |
President Claudia Sheinbaum took the stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., to help with the FIFA World Cup 2026 group draw, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The three leaders, whose countries will co-host the tournament, each drew balls from glass bowls to decide the groups for Mexico, the United States and Canada. Mexico was placed in Group A with South Africa, South Korea and the winner of a European playoff, while the United States went into Group D and Canada into Group B, each with their own mix of rivals. The opening match will take place at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Mexico will play South Africa, and Sheinbaum has said she will give her complimentary ticket to a young girl.
During the ceremony, FIFA president Gianni Infantino asked Sheinbaum what it meant for Mexico to host the World Cup for a third time. She answered that Mexicans are proud to be three-time hosts and described Mexico as an exceptional, beautiful and magical country, praising its people as hard-working and passionate about ball games for centuries, referring to the ancient juego de pelota. Sheinbaum traveled with leaders from Mexico City, Jalisco and Nuevo León, representing the three Mexican cities that will host matches: Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. The event was also the first time that Sheinbaum met Trump in person, even though they had already spoken by phone about tariffs and cooperation against fentanyl trafficking.
A light but symbolic moment came when a TV Azteca reporter asked Trump about the ceremony, and he chose to praise Sheinbaum instead of focusing on the question. He said that the Mexican president is doing a very good job and called her a good woman doing excellent work. This public compliment drew attention because it came after months of tension over U.S. tariffs that had affected trade relations between the three North American countries. It showed how sports events like the World Cup can create situations where political leaders send friendly messages, even when there are serious disagreements in other areas.
After the draw, Trump, Sheinbaum and Carney held a private mini-summit where trade was expected to be one of the main topics. Earlier in the year, Trump had shaken relations with both Mexico and Canada by imposing broad sectoral tariffs and even cutting off trade talks with Canada in October. The USMCA trade agreement has protected Mexico and Canada from some of the harshest measures, but it will enter a mandatory review period next year, and Trump has publicly suggested that it might be allowed to expire. This mix of cooperation in sports and tension in trade highlights how international relations can be friendly on stage but complicated behind closed doors.
Bridging words
These words sound similar in English and Spanish: Why not practice them now?
| English |
Spanish |
| Tournament |
Torneo |
| Football |
Fútbol |
| Sports events |
Eventos deportivos |
Time to discuss
- Should sports events like the World Cup be used to improve political relations between countries?
- Do you think public praise between leaders is sincere or mostly symbolic?
- Is it fair for one country to use tariffs to pressure its neighbors?
Let's write
Answer the following questions in one paragraph:
- Describe how a major sports event can affect the image of a country in the world.
- Explain whether you think trade disagreements should be discussed during events focused on culture or sports.
