U.S. President Donald Trump has attended the Super Bowl, Ryder Cup and this year’s NBA Finals during a second term littered with major sports outings, but multiple reports claim that he will swerve arguably the biggest of them all, the first World Cup game for the U.S. men’s national team on Friday.Trump has been a key figure throughout World Cup preparations. When the U.S. was confirmed as co-host alongside Mexico and Canada during his first term in 2018, the leader of the free world regretfully predicted: “I won’t be here.”However, the delayed nature of his return to the White House has given Trump the chance to experience the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet on U.S. soil in the flesh.Yet, if reports are to be believed, he still won’t be here.Trump ‘Not Planning’ on World Cup AttendancePresident Donald Trump has spent plenty of time posing with the World Cup trophy. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesAs fans flocking to see the New York Knicks take on the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals discovered, having Trump attend an event dramatically impacts the experience for everyone—even those not going to the venue.Officials preparing California’s SoFi Stadium for the USMNT’s opener against Paraguay on Friday evening would have to introduce strict security measures and likely cordon off the area surrounding the arena to prepare for Trump’s appearance. With less than 48 hours before Mauricio Pochettino’s co-host kick off, POLITICO were the first to report that multiple sources believed the President would not be in attendance.It’s unclear why Trump would skip such a landmark moment for a tournament which he has spent so much time hailing, memorably parroting FIFA president Gianni Infantino's claim that it will be “like three Super Bowls a day for a month.”The crowd’s response to Trump’s appearance at Madison Square Garden—where he was loudly jeered and booed when shown on the big screen—may have been a factor. Much like New York, California is a Democrat stronghold that may very well have provided a hostile reception for the Republican President.Nevertheless, it is still a major decision for Trump to sidestep this event. When the U.S. last hosted the tournament in 1994, the incumbent at the time, Bill Clinton, gave a speech from the steps of Soldier Field after watching Diana Ross miss her penalty in the opening ceremony.What Trump Will Be Doing Instead of Watching USMNT vs. ParaguayDonald Trump (right) is a fan of Dana White’s UFC. | Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLCWhile Paraguay President Santiago Peña confirmed his attendance two days before the fixture, the U.S. State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be the lead political official for the host nation.Rubio is no stranger to the tournament—overseeing the hotly controversial visa program which has affected fans, players, managers and even referees—and he will be tasked with diplomatic duties. “On the margins of the match,” a statement revealed, “Secretary Rubio will meet with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña to advance the U.S.-Paraguay strategic partnership spanning regional security, trade and investment and emerging technology.”While there is still the possibility of a change of heart from the President, who is yet to officially confirm his attendance or otherwise, The Athletic claim that Trump is expected to be in Washington D.C. on Friday. The avid mixed martial arts fan is set to undergo a run-through of the UFC event that will be staged on the White House South Lawn this Sunday, which happens to be Trump’s 80th birthday. Unlike some other significant sporting events, Trump has routinely received a raucous welcome at UFC fights. The President is set to be one of 125,000 in attendance at an occasion which has cost more than $60 million to organize.READ THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow