Trump to Share World Cup Trophy Moment With Infantino

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that Donald Trump will stand alongside him to present the World Cup trophy at the final on 19 July, according to The Guardian. Infantino described the pair as being together all the time, signalling a close alignment between football's governing body and the US president for this home tournament.

The arrangement has already made waves at an earlier ceremony. England's Reece James told The Guardian he had been told Trump would present the trophy and then leave the stage, but the president chose to stay on. James admitted it was too loud to hear much of what Trump said to him, though the president apparently offered congratulations.

England teammate Cole Palmer told The Guardian he was aware Trump would be present but was not expecting to see him on the podium during the trophy lift. Palmer described feeling genuinely confused by the moment.

The episode shines a spotlight on the unusual political theatre surrounding the 2026 tournament and raises questions about the boundary between sport and state on the world's biggest football stage.