Bermuda Football Association (BFA) President Mark Wade has spoken about the excitement and accessibility surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup after attending the official draw, held in the region of the expanded tournament.
Wade attended the draw at the Kennedy Center, confirming he was moving early in the day for the Concacaf Presidents' meeting before heading straight over to the World Cup draw.
The event featured immense star power, highlighting the global importance of the tournament, which will be held across the region in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
"Lots of star power in the building, lots of legends," Wade confirmed, noting the presence of greats like Marcel Desailly, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, and Hugo Sanchez. The actual draw was hosted by Rio Ferdinand, adding to the excitement. American sports stars from baseball, basketball, and hockey were also present, alongside Canada's Wayne Gretzky and Shaquille O’Neal.
Wade noted that the draw structure—which saw top-seeded teams placed in one pot and limited groups to a maximum of two teams from the same confederation—resulted in a set of balanced groups. He observed that the structure avoided the kind of "group of death" seen in previous years.
For fans and for Bermuda specifically, Wade hailed the "unprecedented access" to the World Cup. With many host cities on the East Coast, and Mexico and the West Coast open for those more adventurous, he said, "lots of cities on the East Coast and for those more adventurous, you know, they can get over to Vancouver or even go even go down to Mexico or go over to the US Coast". He added that such ease of access hasn't been seen since 1994, concluding, "It's exciting, and you know, can't wait for the first whistle".
