United States President Donald Trump will attend the 2026 World Cup final, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed at a briefing on Thursday.Trump’s attendance, and his participation in the post-match trophy ceremony, has long been expected. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said last month that Trump would be there to present the trophy. But some questions lingered as Trump did not attend any other matches throughout the tournament, which has been co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.Leavitt said that Trump would travel to New York City on Friday to attend a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in Manhattan. She said Trump would then be at Sunday’s game between Argentina and Spain at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.She did not say specifically that Trump will present the trophy, but he is expected to. Infantino said last month that he and Trump would be “enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course, together.”Trump’s attendance falls in line with years of precedent. At the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, joined Infantino in presenting the winner’s trophy to Argentina captain Lionel Messi. Al Thani even draped a bisht, a traditional Qatari cloak, around Messi prior to the trophy lift.At the prior World Cup in Russia in 2018, Vladimir Putin presented medals to victorious French players. Heads of state of host countries also attended World Cup finals in 2014, 2010 and previously.Trump presented the Club World Cup trophy to Chelsea last summer. (David Ramos / Getty Images)Trump also attended and participated in post-match festivities at last summer’s Club World Cup final, which was also held at MetLife Stadium. Trump infamously remained on the podium after the trophy had been presented to players from English club Chelsea, and stood right next to captain Reece James as the trophy was lifted for the first time.“Before, they told me he was going to present the trophy, and then exit the stage,” James said of Trump afterward. “I thought that he was gonna exit the stage. But I think he wanted to stay.”Trump and Infantino have shared a close relationship that dates back to Trump’s first term in office, and that Infantino cultivated throughout 2025 as World Cup logistics came into focus. When they jointly announced last summer that December’s World Cup draw would be at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and when Infantino created a FIFA “Peace Prize” to award to Trump, it seemed like Trump would be a prominent figure throughout this World Cup. On at least one occasion, he seemed to indicate that he planned to attend multiple matches.But he ultimately did not attend any prior to the final. Members of his cabinet attended matches featuring the U.S. men’s national team in California and Seattle, but neither Trump nor Vance ever appeared at the first 102 games, 76 of which were held in 11 stadiums across the U.S.Trump’s most prominent involvement in the tournament thus far was his call to Infantino earlier this month asking the FIFA president to review American striker Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension.FIFA’s decision a few days later to essentially overturn that suspension became the tournament’s biggest controversy. The U.S. was eliminated the following day by Belgium.His administration, though, has worked behind the scenes to help host a World Cup that has largely been safe, lucrative and smoother than expected.“His attendance will cap what has been the most-watched, most secure and most successful World Cup in American history,” Leavitt said. (The only other men’s World Cup on American soil was the 1994 edition.)Leavitt concluded: “This is a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world on the grandest stage.”Jul 16, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms