United States President Donald Trump will attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain on Sunday, the White House has confirmed, marking his first appearance at the tournament.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Thursday that Trump will be present at the championship match in New Jersey, where defending champions Argentina will take on Spain for the coveted trophy.
According to Leavitt, the President’s attendance will bring the curtain down on what she described as the most successful World Cup ever hosted by the United States.
“His attendance will cap what has been the most watched, most secure and most successful World Cup in American history,” she told reporters.
Before Sunday’s final, Trump is also scheduled to attend a reception hosted by world football governing body FIFA at Trump Tower in New York on Friday.
Although FIFA President Gianni Infantino had earlier indicated that Trump would attend the final and present the World Cup trophy to the winners, the White House only officially confirmed the President’s plans on Thursday.
Leavitt declined to reveal which of the two finalists Trump would be supporting, saying she did not know whether his backing would go to Lionel Messi-led Argentina or Spain.
Trump has not attended any matches during the tournament, but he has remained closely linked to the World Cup throughout the competition.
Earlier this month, the US President disclosed that he asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the red card shown to United States striker Folarin Balogun during a match against Bosnia. FIFA later lifted the player’s one-match suspension ahead of the Americans’ next fixture against Belgium, although the hosts still suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat.
Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for helping the United States secure the right to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, following FIFA’s decision during his first term in office.
His relationship with FIFA has grown in recent years, with Infantino maintaining close ties with the US President.
Trump also drew global attention during last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey when he presented the trophy to Chelsea captain Reece James but remained on the podium during the team’s celebrations, creating an awkward moment that quickly went viral.
Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain is expected to attract millions of viewers worldwide as Lionel Messi seeks to lead Argentina to back-to-back World Cup titles, while Spain aim to reclaim football’s biggest prize.