White House says Trump will attend Argentina-Spain World Cup final

US President Donald Trump is expected to attend Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, according to the White House.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the planned appearance during a Thursday briefing, describing it as the conclusion to a tournament that, in her view, demonstrated the United States’ ability to host a major global event.

The final is scheduled to bring together Spain and Argentina, with the trophy ceremony also expected to draw attention. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has previously said he hoped to present the trophy alongside the president of the host country.

Speaking in an interview cited by MyJoyOnline, Infantino said such joint participation would follow the practice used at previous World Cup finals. At the 2022 final in Qatar, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani joined Infantino for the presentation to Argentina captain Lionel Messi. Russia’s Vladimir Putin also took part in post-match ceremonies after France won the 2018 tournament.

Trump has attended football events at MetLife Stadium before. The source reported that he was present for last summer’s Club World Cup final, when Chelsea beat their opponents and lifted the trophy. Chelsea captain Reece James later said he had expected Trump to leave the stage after making the presentation, while Cole Palmer said the president’s presence on the podium had surprised him.

Before the final, Trump is also due to attend a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York City on Friday, according to the report. Leavitt did not say whether the president would support Argentina or Spain.

The White House announcement does not set out the precise role Trump will have during the post-match ceremony. Infantino’s earlier comments indicate that FIFA and the US president had discussed a joint trophy presentation, but this should be confirmed by FIFA or the White House ahead of the match.