Former U.S. President Donald Trump will present the World Cup final trophy on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium, FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed on Tuesday.
Infantino, who has developed a close relationship with Trump, stated on the television program "Fox and Friends" that they would "be together with the president enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course, together." FIFA has offered no further comment beyond Infantino's televised remarks.
This marks another instance of Trump engaging with major sporting events. In December, he received FIFA's inaugural Peace Prize. Last year, he was present at the Club World Cup final at the same East Rutherford, New Jersey, stadium, where he was met with a mix of boos and cheers as he stood among the winning team during their trophy presentation.
Trump has also attended other significant sporting events in the greater New York metropolitan area, including the U.S. Open men's tennis final, the Ryder Cup golf tournament, and the NBA Finals.
The World Cup is currently being held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with New York New Jersey designated as the venue for the final match among its eight scheduled games.