President Donald Trump plans to attend at least one FIFA World Cup match this summer — the tournament’s championship game.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino revealed during an appearance on Fox & Friends on Tuesday that Trump will be present for the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Infantino said he and Trump will also participate in the trophy presentation ceremony following the match.
“We will be together with the president enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner,” Infantino said during the interview.
The announcement formalizes a role that had been widely rumored for months. Earlier reports suggested FIFA was preparing to give Trump a prominent place in the final ceremony, potentially allowing him to hand the trophy directly to the winning team’s captain.
The 2026 World Cup is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but the United States is hosting the majority of matches, including the final. The tournament is the largest in FIFA history, expanding from 32 to 48 national teams and featuring 104 matches across North America.
Trump’s involvement reflects his increasingly close relationship with Infantino, who has frequently appeared alongside the president since Trump’s return to office. The two have worked together on World Cup planning, and Trump established a White House task force to coordinate federal preparations for the tournament. Infantino has repeatedly described cooperation with the White House as critical to the event’s success.
The FIFA president has appeared with Trump at several soccer-related events over the past year, including the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington and the FIFA Club World Cup. During the Club World Cup trophy ceremony, Trump drew headlines by remaining on stage during the champions’ celebration before being ushered aside for team photos.
Trump’s planned appearance at the World Cup final is already drawing scrutiny from some soccer officials and observers. Critics have questioned whether having a sitting political leader participate in the trophy presentation conflicts with FIFA’s longstanding claims of political neutrality. Norway Football Federation President Lise Klaveness has been among those raising concerns about FIFA’s increasingly visible relationship with Trump.
Still, FIFA officials have pointed to precedent. Heads of state and national leaders have often participated in World Cup ceremonies, including Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 2018 World Cup and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during the 2022 tournament.
The White House has not yet announced whether Trump plans to attend any additional World Cup matches.
