Oman today_ Melanie Winiger, a familiar face to many football fans, is the host of the 2026 World Cup draw.
Winiger was responsible for hosting the draw for the 2026 World Cup matches in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. During this global sporting event, she drew considerable attention, but her professional experience goes far beyond hosting the World Cup draw.
Melanie Winiger is an actress, model, and beauty pageant winner of Swiss-Canadian descent. She began her career in modeling and in 1996 won the title of Miss Switzerland. That same year, she represented her country in the Miss World 1996 competition and later participated in Miss Universe 1997.
In 2003, she entered the acting world, appearing in a Swiss film titled Achtung, fertig, Charlie!. After her first role, she moved to Los Angeles and studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in West Hollywood until 2005.
Winiger later appeared in both American and Swiss film and television productions. In 2008, she featured in a TV commercial for Moschino. That same year, she transitioned to television hosting, beginning with the group stage draw of the UEFA Champions League held in Monaco.
She went on to host the draw again in 2010 and 2011 for the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons, and returned once more for the 2015–16 season. Her talents extend beyond football, as she also hosted the 2017 World Boxing Championship draw, demonstrating her versatility and skill in hosting major international events.