Trump Booed as He Attempts to Gatecrash Spain’s World Cup Victory Party
Donald Trump arrived at MetLife Stadium by helicopter roughly 45 minutes before kick-off for the 2026 World Cup final, watching Spain’s extra-time victory over Argentina from a glassed-in luxury section alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Fellow dignitaries nearby included Spain’s King Felipe VI, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, and Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum.
According to The Guardian, the crowd’s reaction to Trump was largely muted when he briefly appeared on the stadium’s video screens after the US national anthem — scattered boos, but nothing especially fierce. That changed when he and Infantino walked onto the pitch for the trophy presentation. The White House pool report noted ambient crowd noise climbed from roughly 78 decibels to 84 decibels the moment Trump stepped onto the field.
After handing Spain the trophy, Trump then appeared to linger at the side of the podium as the players celebrated — before Infantino quietly steered him away. It was not the first time. The Guardian notes the same thing happened at last summer’s Club World Cup final, held at the same stadium, when Trump presented the trophy to Chelsea and tried to join their post-match celebrations.
Trump’s appearance marked the first time he attended a match at this summer’s tournament, which the United States co-hosted alongside Canada and Mexico. He is also the first sitting US president to be present at a World Cup final on home soil. When the US last hosted the competition in 1994, Bill Clinton did not attend the final — vice-president Al Gore presented the trophy in his place.
The visit came with some wider baggage. Earlier in the tournament, Trump reportedly called Infantino to lobby for a review of US forward Folarin Balogun’s controversial red-card suspension ahead of their last-16 tie. FIFA reversed the ban, though the political noise seemingly did little to help — the US were eliminated by Belgium in that same round.
For a full breakdown of results from this summer’s tournament, check our live standings and the World Cup 2026 hub for more coverage.