Trump Confirmed for World Cup Final Trophy Presentation
Donald Trump will attend Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina and help present the trophy to the winning side, the White House confirmed on Thursday. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the president “looks forward to attending,” describing the occasion as “a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world.”
Fifa president Gianni Infantino backed that up in an interview with Swiss outlet Blue Sport, saying the plan had always been to present the trophy together with Trump at New Jersey’s stadium. “That’s always been the plan, and that’s how it’s always been done in the past,” Infantino said, pointing to precedent from previous tournaments. The emir of Qatar joined Infantino on the podium at the 2022 final, while Vladimir Putin took part in the ceremony after the 2018 final in Russia.
Trump has not attended a match at this World Cup in person, yet his presence has been felt throughout the tournament. According to The Guardian, he contacted Infantino directly to lobby for a review of USA forward Folarin Balogun’s controversial red-card suspension ahead of the last-16 tie. Fifa did overturn the ban, but the episode became a political distraction, and the United States ultimately fell flat in a defeat to Belgium.
The president is no stranger to major sporting occasions, having turned up at the Super Bowl, the US Open, the Daytona 500 and the Ryder Cup since his reelection. His appearance at the Club World Cup final at the same New Jersey venue last summer — where he presented the trophy to Chelsea — was met with loud boos from the crowd.
Leavitt declined to say which team Trump is backing on Sunday, telling reporters he would have “a fun answer for you” on that front. Trump is also due to attend a Fifa reception at Trump Tower in New York on Friday; Fifa opened an office in the building last year.
For UK bettors and fans, this is a mouth-watering showdown between two of the world’s heavyweights. You can follow all the build-up and odds on our World Cup 2026 hub, and keep tabs on the full picture via our live standings.