FIFA President Confirms Trump to Jointly Present 2026 World Cup Trophy
The announcement follows a period of close engagement between the football federation’s leader and the US president, including the awarding of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that US President Donald Trump will present the World Cup final trophy at the 2026 tournament, stating that the two men will hand the award to the winner together. The confirmation came during an appearance on the Fox and Friends television programme on Tuesday, marking a significant intersection of global sport and American politics ahead of the final match.
Infantino, who has fostered an increasingly close relationship with the US president, noted that they would be together enjoying the final before the presentation. This development follows Infantino’s decision in December to award Trump the inaugural edition of the FIFA Peace Prize, a move that has drawn attention to the personal ties between the two figures as the tournament approaches its climax.
The trophy presentation is scheduled for 19 July at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The venue, also known as MetLife Stadium, will host the final as part of the broader tournament being held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The New York New Jersey region is set to host eight matches in total, with the final serving as the culmination of the event.
Trump’s involvement in major sporting events in the region has increased in recent months, with attendance at the US Open men’s tennis final, the Ryder Cup, and the NBA Finals. His previous appearance at a trophy ceremony, when he presented the award to Club World Cup winners Chelsea last year, drew mixed reactions. He was met with both boos and cheers and stood in the centre of the team during the lift, a moment that confused some players and spectators alike.
The announcement comes amidst ongoing scrutiny of the tournament’s commercial operations. Attorneys-general from New York and New Jersey have issued a subpoena to FIFA regarding ticket pricing and seat allocation, alleging that dynamic pricing has led to costs exceeding previous tournaments and that fans were misled about seat locations. FIFA has not commented beyond Infantino’s televised remarks, maintaining its focus on the upcoming final, which will feature a Super Bowl-style half-time show curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
