STORY: Soccer fans packed Times Square in New York on Friday (December 5) to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw, cheering as they learned who their teams would face next summer.

Among them was 13-year-old Christian Reyes, who plays for Blau Weiss Gottschee in Queens and was playing in a tournament on the mini pitch in Times Square.

"I'm really thankful being here because it's really competitive and a lot of great teams and players are here," he said, and added that he was rooting for Brazil.

His father, Marlon Reyes, was rooting for the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team.

Coach Dennis Cobbina said he's also confident in the home squad.

“Obviously I’m rooting for the United States," he said. “It’s just a vibe - the culture, seeing so many people around the world being united just by a soccer ball - that’s what I love about the World Cup.”

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 5, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CHEERING AND WATCHING SCREEN, U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ON SCREEN, FOR THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP DRAW WATCH PARTY IN TIMES SQUARE

2. 13-YEAR-OLD CHRISTIAN REYES AND HIS FATHER, MARLON REYES - CHRISTIAN PLAYS FOR BLAU WEISS GOTTSCHEE SOCCER CLUB BASED IN MIDDLE VILLAGE, QUEENS

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTIAN REYES, SOCCER PLAYER, SAYING:

"I'm really thankful being here because it's really competitive and a lot of great teams and players are here. And I'm rooting for Brazil."

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARLON REYES, CHRISTIAN'S FATHER, SAYING:

"USA! USA! Number one!"

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DENNIS COBBINA, SOCCER COACH, SAYING:

"Obviously I'm rooting for the United States. And then the reason being that I'm optimistic about the squad we have right now - looking at a young talent in Europe - I'm excited for this World Cup."

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANNE KENYON, SOCCER FAN, SAYING:

"We're always rooting for Liverpool and we wanted to see the draw because he (her partner off camera) has tickets that he bought for his daughter for her birthday, so he wants to see who the game's gonna be with."

7. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT WATCH PARTY

8. VARIOUS OF SOCCER PLAYERS ON THE MINI PITCH

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTIAN REYES, SOCCER PLAYER, SAYING: (ON WHAT HE LOVES ABOUT SOCCER)

"How competitive it is, and the most played sport in the world, and the fans - how loud it is and competitive."

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARLON REYES, CHRISTIAN'S FATHER, SAYING:

"There's a lot of excitement going around the world, especially here - my son is a soccer player. I also have another son. So we got invited by the organization to come and play today at a tournament for the kids."

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DENNIS COBBINA, SOCCER COACH, SAYING:

"It's just a vibe - the culture, seeing so many people around the world being united just by a soccer ball - that's what I love about the World Cup."

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANNE KENYON, SOCCER FAN, SAYING:

KENYON: "I love soccer."

JOURNALIST: "What do you love about it?"

KENYON: "I love watching kids play sports. His daughter plays the sport. I played it when I was younger. We love Liverpool just because of what it stands for and how good they are to their people and how they come together as a community and support each other, and just a great representative of a good team for kids to follow."

13. CLOSE-UP OF U.S. SOCCER CREST

14. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT WATCH PARTY IN TIMES SQUARE