FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump will attend the 2026 World Cup final and take part in the trophy presentation ceremony.
The announcement, made during an interview with Fox Sports, underscores the deepening personal rapport between the two men—whom Infantino now describes as close friends.
“We will be together with the president enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course,” Infantino said, smiling. When pressed on whether they would jointly present the golden accolade, he replied with a chuckle: “Of course, we are together all the time.”
The final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey—a venue that will also host several other matches throughout the tournament.
The 2026 World Cup, which kicked off on June 11, is a historic tri-national edition spanning Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Of the 104 total matches, 78 are being played on U.S. soil, making it the centerpiece of the competition.
Despite the high-profile nature of the event, Trump—now 80 years old—has yet to appear at any match so far. According to Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup task force, the president’s absence is not a sign of disinterest but a reflection of his packed schedule.
“The president likes to leave people watching,” Giuliani told The Telegraph, hinting that Trump may still make a surprise appearance before the final, possibly at a semifinal or knockout-round game.
Trump’s recent sports outings have drawn mixed reactions. Just last week, he attended a UFC event at the White House, basking in the combat-sports atmosphere.
However, his appearance at the NBA Finals in New York was less warmly received—he was audibly booed by the crowd as he became the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game. That night, he watched Game 3, where the eventual champion New York Knicks fell to the San Antonio Spurs in a narrow 115–111 defeat.
This will not be Trump’s first time on the MetLife Stadium podium. Last summer, he handed the Club World Cup trophy to Chelsea captain Reece James after the London side’s victory.
That moment, however, was marked by an awkward misunderstanding: James later recalled that Trump lingered on stage far longer than expected.
“They told me that he was going to present the trophy and then exit the stage, and I thought that he was going to exit the stage, but he wanted to stay,” James explained, noting the confusion among players who weren’t sure whether to pose for photos or clear the platform.
With the World Cup final now just weeks away, Infantino’s confirmation sets the stage for a politically charged ceremony—one that will place Trump front and center on global television, alongside the newly crowned world champions. Whether the president will simply hand over the trophy or once again choose to remain in the spotlight remains to be seen.
But as Giuliani suggested, Trump’s instinct for theatrical timing all but guarantees that his final appearance will be anything but ordinary.
