‘Give me Messi’ – fans react to World Cup draw at US watch party

At a viewing party in Philadelphia, dozens of football fans from around the world took refuge from frigid conditions as they watched the draw for next summer’s men’s World Cup on dozens of TVs.

The glitzy event some 140 miles away at the John F Kennedy Center in Washington DC was attended by the leaders of the three co-hosts: US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Fans here waited with bated breath as sports stars, including hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and NFL great Tom Brady, drew the teams on Friday.

US fans screamed in excitement at being drawn with Australia and Paraguay, but Colombia fans groaned with despair when basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal paired them with Portugal in Group K.

“I feel like the United States has a pretty good chance with the group we are in,” Jim House from Atlantic City told the BBC.

“There are definitely some tougher groups out there that I’m glad we’re not in,” he said. “I feel pretty positive.”

Chris Day, who is from Philadelphia, agreed that the co-hosts have a winnable group.

“If they don’t make it to the Round of 16, it is a failure,” Day, who has secured tickets to all six matches that will be played in Philadelphia, said.

For Colombia fan Julio Mahecha, a group including Portugal might be tough, but he said “if you are going to win, you will have to prove yourself”.

Ahead of the draw, he told the BBC he was hoping Colombia would be drawn with high-ranked teams such as Germany. “I would rather play a bigger team because Colombia tends to [lose] when we play smaller teams.”

“I’m of the belief that if you’re going to be the World Cup champion, it should be tough. To hold that trophy up, they have to deserve it,” he said.

When Gretzky drew Jordan in Argentina’s group, Hassan Shaaban excitedly screamed “Give me Messi!” in reference to the defending champion’s captain.

“We know Messi is one of the GOATs of the sport,” he said.

“Saudi Arabia did it four years ago, so why can’t we?,” Shaaban said, referring to the 2-1 upset at the last tournament in 2022, when the Saudis beat the eventual winners Argentina in the group stage.

Shaaban said the draw would be a major boost for the debutantes. “For our country to go up against Argentina, the World Cup champions, in our first time at a World Cup, it’s huge for the football culture in the country. So this will only grow the sport,” he said.

Fans wearing the jerseys of the national teams they support mingled with one another at the venue, and there was occasional confusion during the draw about why some teams had been skipped, prompting fans to confer.

Ecuadorian fan Wilson Velez said he was “not at all” worried about his team’s draw with four-time winners Germany, African champions Ivory Coast, and newcomers Curacao in Group E.

“I believe we have great players, we have a great coach, I think it’s going to be something very interesting,” he said. “We are looking forward. There’s no more being afraid… we are happy about this.”

Christine Titih is a fan of Cameroon, which has caused upsets at the World Cup before, beating Argentina in 1990 and Brazil in 2022.

But since they will not be at the tournament next summer, she is lending her support to South Africa who will face Mexico in the opening match at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on 11 June.

“I think we have a good chance, definitely,” she told the BBC after the draw.

Besides the co-hosts, South Africa are drawn with South Korea and the winner of a European qualifying play-off. Denmark, Republic of Ireland, North Macedonia or the Czech Republic could take the final spot in that group.

Gerry Grace of Ireland is hopeful her nation will prevail against a “tough” Denmark team in the play-offs to make it to North America. If they do, he believes they can even top the group.

“It looks easier in the World Cup group than it does to qualify,” Grace told the BBC.

“I think we can beat South Africa, I think we can beat Korea, and I think we can beat a really bad version of Mexico at the moment. We actually, as a Pot 4 team, could win our group.”

He was then a little more circumspect. “I mean, probably not, but there’s a chance.”