Donald Trump patted the FIFA World Cup trophy for good luck at Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain, a fleeting moment of showmanship that belied his broader ambition to bring the tournament back to the United States “immediately”.
The US president stood behind protective glass at MetLife Stadium alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino and first lady Melania Trump, appearing briefly on the scoreboard screen. There was no discernible reaction from the crowd, according to White House pool reporters.
“Donald Trump watched the World Cup final, patted the trophy, and demanded the US host again despite rights already awarded.”
Trump watched the match from a secured box with Infantino, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. His son Barron, along with other family members including Eric and Lara Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, and Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos, were also in attendance.
The president said he would raise the idea of the US hosting the World Cup again at a Friday press conference with Infantino, despite hosting rights for the next two tournaments already being decided. “It turned out we were a soccer country, and I think it’s going to remain,” Trump said Friday at an event in New York. “This has really brought the world together.”
A staffer held out the trophy for Trump to inspect; he patted it before it was whisked away. His helicopter, Marine One, completed a brief flyover that went largely unnoticed by the crowd before touching down outside the stadium.
Trump is set to present the trophy to the winning team. He declined to pick a side but told Fox Sports’ Jenny Taft earlier in the day: “It’s hard to bet against [Lionel] Messi.” During the match, he posted twice on Truth Social, slamming former special counsel Jack Smith and Democrats’ calls to expand the Supreme Court.
His attendance came amid a reignition of his administration’s war with Iran, with the two countries trading strikes over the weekend. Meanwhile, Brooklyn Beckham watched the final from his sofa at home as his entire family supported from the MetLife Stadium stands.