US President Donald Trump speaks whereas standing subsequent to the Fifa World Cup Trophy, throughout a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York Metropolis, US, July 17, 2026. — Reuters
US President Donald Trump will bask within the highlight on the World Cup ultimate on Sunday, after already offering one of many event’s most controversial moments.
Trump is predicted to current the trophy alongside Fifa boss and shut good friend Gianni Infantino to the winner of the sport between Spain and Argentina.
The match in New Jersey would be the first World Cup fixture that Trump has attended, in an uncommon transfer for an 80-year-old chief who usually likes to be within the highlight.
However it’s removed from his first intervention within the event.
Lower than two weeks in the past, Trump infamously phoned Infantino to ask Fifa to droop a purple card towards USA striker Folarin Balogun so he might play in a last-16 match towards Belgium.
Regardless of the following controversy over equity and affect, Trump has hailed the 2026 event as the most effective ever.
“This has been the most successful sporting event maybe in the history of the world. It’s been amazing,” Trump advised a Fifa reception with Infantino at Trump Tower in New York on Friday.
Trump stated the event had additionally helped additional popularise a sport in america, the place NFL, baseball and basketball nonetheless rule supreme.
“It turned out we were a soccer country, and I think it’s going to remain,” added Trump, who stated his son Barron, 20, was an enormous fan of the sport.
First Woman Melania Trump, who’s Barron’s mom, and Melania’s father Viktor Knavs are each resulting from attend with the US president.
Soccer diplomacy
The ultimate is also an opportunity for some much-needed diplomacy.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Spain’s royal household will all attend — regardless of Trump not too long ago lashing out at Madrid for failing to assist with the Iran struggle and falling brief on Nato spending.
The leaders of the event’s co-hosts, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, may also be there amid ongoing tensions with the mercurial US president.
Trump threatened Canada with tariffs on Friday after smoke from raging wildfires drifted over the northeastern United States and raised considerations about air high quality for the World Cup ultimate.
Mexico’s ties with Washington in the meantime stay tense over Trump’s large-scale immigration crackdown and threats of army motion towards drug traffickers.
The final time the US, Canadian and Mexican leaders all met was on the World Cup attract Washington in December.
Trump’s look may also be surrounded by heavy safety, with a no-fly zone in drive across the stadium as he flies in from his New Jersey golf membership.
Infantino ties
Whereas the main target might be on the soccer, Trump might be competing for centre stage.
Trump has hitched his political model to the World Cup since returning in January 2025 to the Oval Workplace, the place he has hosted Infantino on a number of events.
He repeatedly boasted about how he received america the correct to carry the World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics throughout his first time period, earlier than he misplaced the 2020 election to Joe Biden in a consequence he nonetheless refuses to simply accept.
“I was supposed to not be here now, I was president for eight years… they rigged the election, and what did I get? I got the World Cup, the Olympics,” Trump stated on Friday.
Trump on Friday additionally jokingly talked about how he wished america to host a future World Cup with China, only a day after accusing Beijing of meddling within the 2020 election.
“This time we’ll leave Mexico and Canada out,” he stated.
Trump, who performed soccer as a youth, even criticised England’s ways within the World Cup semi-final they misplaced to Argentina and coach Thomas Tuchel’s choice to undertake defensive ways after taking the lead.
All eyes may also be on what Trump does on the sector.
On the Fifa Membership World Cup championship on the similar New Jersey stadium final yr, winners Chelsea have been left “a bit confused” after Trump stayed on the rostrum whereas they danced after he handed them the trophy.
Trump then later claimed he had been allowed to maintain the trophy itself within the Oval Workplace — however Fifa stated the model on show was truly a reproduction.
