White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Thursday that President Donald Trump will attend the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina on Sunday in New Jersey. The match is scheduled to take place at the New Jersey New York Stadium.
Trump to Present Trophy Alongside Infantino
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has stated that Trump will hand the World Cup trophy to the winning team. In an interview with Swiss outlet Blue Sport, Infantino said, "Yes, hopefully we'll present the trophy together in the final. 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." This follows precedent set at previous finals: at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani joined Infantino to award the trophy to Argentina; in 2018, Vladimir Putin presented it to France.
Trump's Role and Controversy
Trump has not attended any prior matches in this World Cup but has been influential. He has a close relationship with Infantino and lobbied FIFA to review a red-card suspension for U.S. player Folarin Balogun. FIFA reversed the ban, but the incident drew criticism. The U.S. team later exited the tournament after a loss to Belgium. Trump previously attended the Club World Cup final at the same stadium last summer, presenting the trophy to Chelsea amid loud boos from the crowd.
Other Appearances and Reception
Since his reelection, Trump has attended several major sporting events, including the Super Bowl, the US Open tennis tournament, the Daytona 500, and the Ryder Cup. This year, he has been to golf events, the college football national championship, and Game 3 of the NBA Finals, where he was booed by New York Knicks fans. Leavitt declined to say which team Trump supports, stating, "I'm sure he'll have a fun answer for you."
Upcoming FIFA Reception
Leavitt also announced that Trump will attend a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York City on Friday. FIFA opened an office in the building last year, underscoring the organization's ties to the Trump family.
