President Donald Trump will attend Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at the New York-New Jersey stadium, the White House confirmed, capping a tournament held on U.S. soil for the first time since 1994.
Trump is scheduled to begin the day at a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York City before traveling to New Jersey for the championship match. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president’s appearance would cap what she called “the most watched, most secure, and most successful World Cup in American history.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is expected to join Trump at the final, and Infantino has said Trump will take part in presenting the trophy to the winning team alongside tournament and federation officials.
The president’s high-profile presence at the final follows a tournament in which Trump has repeatedly inserted himself into the sport’s storylines — including hosting Infantino at the White House on multiple occasions and weighing in publicly on officiating decisions involving the U.S. national team. His attendance Sunday is expected to draw both cheers and criticism from a stadium crowd that will include fans from dozens of countries.
Security around the final has been especially tight given the president’s attendance, with local and federal agencies coordinating what officials describe as one of the largest security operations for a single sporting event in U.S. history.
— VIRA Broadcasting