Former President Donald Trump will attend the World Cup final this Sunday, where Spain will compete against Argentina, as announced by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday.
Leavitt expressed excitement for the match, noting, “We look forward to the final match on Sunday, and I know the president looks forward to attending,”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that Trump will have the honor of presenting the World Cup trophy to the champion team at New Jersey’s New York Stadium. Infantino reiterated this arrangement during an interview with Swiss media outlet Blue Sport earlier this week.
“This is a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world on the grandest stage.” Infantino stated. “Yes, hopefully we’ll present the trophy together in the final,”
In past World Cup finals, high-profile personalities have had the privilege of presenting the trophy. For example, during the 2022 final, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani awarded it to Lionel Messi and the Argentine team. Likewise, Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the trophy to Kylian Mbappé and the French squad in 2018.
Despite not attending any matches in this year’s World Cup, Trump has remained engaged with the event. He has developed a close rapport with Infantino and even reached out to him regarding the controversial red-card suspension of US player Folarin Balogun prior to their last-16 match. FIFA ultimately rescinded Balogun’s suspension, but the ensuing political drama overshadowed the US team’s progress, resulting in an early elimination after a disappointing loss to Belgium.
Since his reelection, Trump has made appearances at various sporting events, including last year’s Super Bowl, the US Open in tennis, the Daytona 500, and the Ryder Cup in golf. This year, he has attended several golf tournaments, the college football national championship, and Game 3 of the NBA finals, where he faced boos from some New York Knicks fans.
Leavitt also mentioned that she was unsure about which team Trump would support in the final, saying, “That’s always been the plan, and that’s how it’s always been done in the past – the president of the country where the final is held presents the trophy together with the Fifa president.”
Furthermore, Leavitt announced that Trump is expected to attend a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York City on Friday, where FIFA established an office last year.
- World Cup 2026
- World Cup
- FIFA
- Gianni Infantino
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