Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe USA is scheduled to commence their World Cup 2026 campaign against Paraguay in Los Angeles on Friday evening, with an opening ceremony planned for the co-host nation. Donald Trump is not expected to be present at the USA's inaugural World Cup match, despite the tradition of state figureheads attending their country's opening game. Instead of the World Cup, Trump is slated to host a UFC event, dubbed 'UFC Freedom', at the White House on Saturday evening, commemorating his 80th birthday and the USA's 250th anniversary. Senior government officials, including Secretary of State Mark Rubio, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, are anticipated to represent the US at the World Cup opener. The Trump officials could get a frosty welcome after backlash over visa issues. The U.S. refused entry to a World Cup referee from Somali and Iran's football federation said their fan ticket allocation for the World Cup had been revoked.In fullWhy Trump is set to snub USA’s World Cup 2026 opener – and the one sporting event he will attend this weekendThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Will Trump attend the US World Cup 2026 opening ceremony and LA match?
Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe USA is scheduled to commence their World Cup 2026 campaign against Paraguay in Los Angeles on Friday evening, with an opening ceremony planned for the co-host nation. Donald Trump is not expected to be present at the USA's inaugural World Cup match, despite the tradition of state figureheads attending their country's opening game. Instead of the World Cup, Trump is slated to host a UFC event, dubbed 'UFC Freedom', at the White House on Saturday evening, commemorating his 80th birthday and the USA's 250th anniversary. Senior government officials, including Secretary of State Mark Rubio, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, are anticipated to represent the US at the World Cup opener. The Trump officials could get a frosty welcome after backlash over visa issues. The U.S. refused entry to a World Cup referee from Somali and Iran's football federation said their fan ticket allocation for the World Cup had been revoked.In fullWhy Trump is set to snub USA’s World Cup 2026 opener – and the one sporting event he will attend this weekendThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Trump declines USA World Cup 2026 opener in Los Angeles, hosting instead UFC "Freedom" event at the White House. This decision signals a shift in how the administration engages with international events, amid prior diplomatic tensions over visa policies.
