United States President Donald Trump is set to play a major role at the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirming that he will present the World Cup trophy to the tournament winners after the final.
The 2026 World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will culminate with the biggest match in world football on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium, where Trump is expected to take center stage during the trophy presentation ceremony.
Infantino recently revealed that he and Trump will be together at the final and will jointly hand over football’s most prestigious prize to the new world champions.
“We will be together with the president enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course,” Infantino said.
The announcement comes after Trump’s high-profile appearance at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final, where he participated in the trophy ceremony following Chelsea’s victory.
The tradition of political leaders and dignitaries participating in major sporting ceremonies has long been part of World Cup history.
However, the involvement of the sitting U.S. president is expected to attract significant global attention given the scale of the event and the worldwide audience expected to tune in.
The 2026 tournament is already set to be historic as it will be the first FIFA World Cup featuring 48 national teams. Millions of fans are expected to travel across North America for the competition, while billions more will watch around the globe.
The final itself is expected to be one of the most-watched sporting events in history, with the winning captain receiving football’s most coveted trophy directly from the President of the United States alongside FIFA’s president.