18 July 2026
Trump's World Cup Spotlight Grows Bigger by the Day
From a controversial red card intervention to trophy presenter at Sunday's final, Donald Trump has become one of the defining figures of this tournament.
Reuters reports that Donald Trump will sit alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino at Sunday's final between Argentina and Spain in New York, and is set to present the trophy to the winning team, just as he did at last year's Club World Cup.
His presence comes days after he publicly asked Infantino to review a red card issued to US striker Folarin Balogun, a move that sparked widespread debate about political interference in the sport's officiating. Reuters notes that Trump had also appeared to gatecrash Chelsea's celebration earlier in the tournament.
With Marine One due to fly over the stadium before landing nearby, FIFA is understood to be focused on managing the president's involvement as carefully as the match itself. Trump has also set his sights on hosting another World Cup in the United States in 2038.
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