Trump to attend World Cup final, confirms FIFA president Gianni Infantino
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The U.S. president has yet to attend a World Cup match after 13 days of the tournament. Mandel Ngan / POOL / AFP via Getty Images
By Dan SheldonJune 23, 2026 Updated 4:37 pm EDTThe Athletic has live coverage of Panama vs Croatia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
United States President Donald Trump will attend the World Cup final and present the trophy to the winning team.
Trump is yet to attend a World Cup match, but Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, has revealed that Trump is expected to be on stage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
Appearing on Fox & Friends on Tuesday morning, Infantino said he will be alongside the U.S. president for the biggest game in world football.
“We will be together with the President, enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course, together,” Infantino said. “We are together all the time.”
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President Trump’s now expected attendance on July 19 follows on from his appearance at last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium.
He was booed loudly by the New Jersey crowd when he took to the stage for the Club World Cup trophy presentation, and then remained on the podium, prompting Reece James, the Chelsea captain, to appear to ask if he was going to leave. Midfielder Cole Palmer looked equally confused.
President Trump remained on the podium for the trophy lift, standing between James and goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
Trump presented Chelsea with the Club World Cup trophy last summer. (David Ramos / Getty Images)Although he has yet to attend a World Cup fixture, other members of his administration have been visible.
Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, was alongside Infantino at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for the USMNT’s opening match — and 4-1 win — against Paraguay on June 12.
President Trump and Infantino have a long-standing relationship, with the FIFA president appearing in the Oval Office multiple times in the build-up to the World Cup getting underway.
Infantino also presented the U.S. president, whom he described as a “close friend”, with the FIFA Peace Prize at the World Cup draw in Washington on December 5.
“He supported efforts to broker ceasefires and promote diplomatic engagement, actions that helped create conditions in which peace could take root,” a FIFA-produced video said before the award was handed out.
“This is truly one of the great honors of my life,” President Trump said on stage. “And beyond awards, we saved millions and millions of lives.”
That award was broadly criticized by human rights groups and the president of the Norwegian Football Association. FIFA’s in-house ethics committee was also asked to investigate the relationship between Infantino and Trump by human rights group FairSquare last December.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
