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A selection of sporting luminaries will, on Saturday morning (AEDT), reach into a series of glass bowls and grab, one after the other, 48 plastic balls containing pieces of paper, assigning the nations whose names are written upon them their 2026 FIFA World Cup destinies.

When you break it down like that, it is rather boring and procedural. And, look ... yeah, it is. These ceremonies tend to drag on with needless formalities, cringey on-stage exchanges and pre-prepared video packages that tell us things we already knew.

But it is important, and – if you’re emotionally invested in the fate of the Socceroos, as you should be – kind of exhilarating in its own way.

Jordan Bos is arguably Australia’s best player.Credit: Getty Images

The World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico doesn’t begin for another seven months, but really, it starts here. This is the tournament’s first decisive moment. This is when we get something tangible to look forward to: match-ups, narratives, groups of life and/or death, plus times, dates and venues.

This is when you can actually start planning your trip, if you’re taking one. Hope you’ve saved up.

This draw will be different. There are 48 plastic balls because for the first time, there are 48 teams, up from 32 - a controversial expansion that will make this the biggest World Cup ever.

Here’s everything you need to know, including what it all means for the Socceroos.

Have an early night on Friday, if you are planning to get up: it’s on at 4am AEDT on Saturday morning and will run for about an hour and a half. SBS, the World Cup broadcaster, will be showing it all live from the Kennedy Center in Washington DC - and again at 1pm, if you can’t be bothered getting up.

And what an experience it promises to be. It’ll be hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum and comedian Kevin Hart, while actor Danny Ramirez will “engage football greats in attendance, bringing Hollywood flair”, which sounds just wonderful. Then, we’ll be treated to the musical stylings of Andrea Bocelli, Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger (remember the Pussycat Dolls?) and then, after the draw … the Village People, performing Y.M.C.A. for some reason.

Actually, this might be the reason: Donald Trump will be there, too, reportedly, and he’s expected to receive the inaugural “FIFA Peace Prize” from his new best friend Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president. That’s a whole other story.

Kevin Hart! Why........

© The Sydney Morning Herald