Former President Donald Trump is set to play a prominent role in the upcoming World Cup final, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino announcing that Trump will present the tournament's trophy.
Infantino revealed the plan in an interview on Fox News, stating that he and Trump will be together at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19 to hand the trophy to the winning team. "We will be together with the president enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course, together," Infantino said.
This marks a departure from recent World Cup finals. Neither Russian President Vladimir Putin nor Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani were involved in the trophy ceremonies for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, respectively.
Infantino has previously honored Trump, awarding him FIFA's inaugural "FIFA Peace Prize" in December. At the time, Infantino stated, "You can always count, Mr President, on my support, on the support of the entire football community – or 'soccer' community – to help you make peace and make the world prosper all over the world."
Andrew Giuliani, director of the White House World Cup Task Force, has not ruled out the possibility of Trump attending earlier matches in the tournament. "He likes a good cliffhanger," Giuliani commented. "He likes to leave people watching."
This is not Trump's first appearance at a FIFA trophy ceremony. In July 2025, he was present on stage when Chelsea accepted the Club World Cup trophy after defeating Paris Saint-Germain. "I knew he was going to be here but I didn't know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy," Chelsea player Cole Palmer remarked at the time.
FIFA anticipates the 2026 World Cup will contribute $17 billion to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. The tournament has also seen a largely positive fan response, with notable instances of cultural exchange, such as the reception of Scottish fans in Boston and Miami.