Trump to attend World Cup final between Spain and Argentina

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By Trust Ittai 

 

 


United States President Donald Trump will attend Sunday's FIFA World Cup final between Spain and defending champions Argentina, the White House confirmed on Thursday.


White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Trump will first attend a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Friday before travelling to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, for Sunday's showpiece final.


The confirmation comes after FIFA President Gianni Infantino revealed last month that Trump would join him in presenting the World Cup trophy to the winners.


"We will be together with the president, enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course," Infantino said on June 23 during an appearance on Fox & Friends.


World Cup finals have traditionally attracted heads of state, with several taking part in trophy presentation ceremonies, including at the 2018 tournament in Russia and the 2022 edition in Qatar.


Despite the tournament being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, neither Trump nor Vice President JD Vance had attended any of the previous 102 matches. 


However, members of the administration were present at several U.S. men's national team matches in California and Seattle.


Leavitt described Trump's attendance as a fitting conclusion to what she called "the most-watched, most secure and most successful World Cup in American history."


The United States previously hosted the FIFA Men's World Cup in 1994.


Trump has made frequent appearances at major sporting events during his presidency, including the Super Bowl, U.S. Open, Ryder Cup and Daytona 500. He has also attended several UFC events and NBA games. 


Last summer, he was present at MetLife Stadium for the FIFA Club World Cup final, where he joined Chelsea players on the podium during the trophy presentation.


Trump and Infantino have maintained a close relationship in recent months. 


In December, they jointly announced that the World Cup draw would be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, while Infantino also presented Trump with FIFA's inaugural Peace Prize.


The two were also involved in controversy earlier in the tournament following the red-card suspension of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun. 


Trump publicly appealed to Infantino to review the one-match ban imposed after Balogun's dismissal in the United States' 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1.


Although Infantino confirmed receiving Trump's call, he insisted he did not influence FIFA's disciplinary process. 


FIFA later lifted the suspension on July 5, allowing Balogun to feature against Belgium in the round of 16, where the United States suffered a 4-1 defeat.

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