Trump to attend 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium

Trump to attend 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium

United States President Donald Trump will attend the 2026 World Cup final this Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Thursday. The match will feature Spain and defending champion Argentina.

Leavitt stated the president is scheduled to travel to New York City on Friday for a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in Manhattan before attending the final. While Leavitt did not explicitly state that Trump will present the trophy, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said last month on Fox & Friends that he and Trump would be enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course, together.

The announcement follows a tournament where Trump remained largely absent from the sidelines. Neither the president nor vice-president JD Vance attended any of the first 102 games, including 76 played across 11 U.S. Stadiums. However, other administration officials were present; Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended the U.S. Men's national team opener against Paraguay on June 12, which ended in a 4-1 win, and other cabinet members attended matches in Seattle and California.

Trump’s role in the final aligns with historical precedent. In 2022, the Emir of Qatar joined Infantino to present the trophy to Argentina. In 2018, Vladimir Putin presented medals to the French team. Trump himself has a history with the venue; last summer, he participated in post-match festivities at the Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium after Chelsea defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0.

That previous appearance caused some confusion among players. Chelsea captain Reece James noted that he thought Trump was going to exit the stage after the presentation, but I think he wanted to stay. Chelsea player Cole Palmer also expressed confusion, stating he did not know Trump would be on the stand during the trophy lift.

The relationship between Trump and Infantino has been close since Trump's first term and was further cultivated throughout 2025. The two jointly announced last December that the World Cup draw would be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. During that event on December 5, 2025, Infantino awarded Trump the first FIFA Peace Prize.

Despite his absence from the stands, Trump was centrally involved in the tournament's most significant controversy. The president acknowledged calling Infantino to request a review of a red card issued to U.S. Striker Folarin Balogun following a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1. Balogun was automatically banned for the Round of 16 match against Belgium on July 6, but FIFA suspended the one-game ban on July 5, making him eligible to play.

Trump defended his intervention, stating: All I did was I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul. He argued that preventing a top player from participating would have been a big stain. While Infantino acknowledged the call, he maintained he did not interfere with the final decision-making process. The U.S. Was subsequently eliminated by Belgium in a 4-1 loss.

The final follows a series of dramatic semi-finals. Spain secured their place by defeating France 2-0 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro. Argentina advanced by defeating England 2-1 in Atlanta on Wednesday. After falling behind to an Anthony Gordon goal, Argentina equalized through Enzo Fernandez in the 85th minute before Lautaro Martinez scored the winner in stoppage time from a Lionel Messi cross.

The final will be preceded by a 90-minute closing ceremony starting at 1:30 p.m. Local time. The event will feature performances by Robbie Williams, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, and IShowSpeed, with an appearance by Tom Cruise. Jennifer Hudson is scheduled to perform the U.S. National anthem. England and France will compete in the third-place play-off on Saturday.

Leavitt described the president's attendance as a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world on the grandest stage, adding that it would cap the most-watched, most secure and most successful World Cup in American history.