Trump to jointly present World Cup trophy with Infantino at July 19 final in New Jersey

The announcement

FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed on Tuesday that Donald Trump will be at the World Cup final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium. Infantino, speaking on the "Fox and Friends" television programme, said the two would watch the match and jointly hand the trophy to the winning team. FIFA offered no further comment beyond the televised remarks. The final is the marquee match of the tournament being staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

We will be together with the president enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course, together.

A growing bond

Infantino has cultivated a close relationship with Trump. Last December, at the World Cup draw in Washington, the FIFA president awarded Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. The gesture came as Trump embraced the global spotlight of major sports events. He has since attended the US Open men's tennis final, the Ryder Cup golf tournament and an NBA Finals game in the greater New York region, where crowds have greeted him with both applause and jeers.

Past trophy ceremony revisited

The joint appearance revives memories of last year's Club World Cup final at the same East Rutherford stadium. Trump presented the trophy to Chelsea after their win over Paris Saint-Germain. He then remained on stage among the players during their celebration, a departure from typical FIFA protocol in which the trophy sits on a stand and is carried by a winning team member. The scene drew boos and cheers from the crowd, and television images of Chelsea players looking bemused, Cole Palmer's grimace circulated widely on social media. Similar joint presentations are not unprecedented: in 2022, the Emir of Qatar held the trophy with Infantino to hand it to Argentina's Lionel Messi.

Pre-tournament involvement

Trump has not attended any World Cup match so far. He was represented at the opening game by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Hours before the US team's first match against Paraguay (won 4-1), Trump phoned coach Mauricio Pochettino to wish the squad luck. "I'm just calling to say you're a fantastic guy, an extraordinary coach," Trump told Pochettino, adding that he believed the team had a strong chance to go far in the tournament.

A recurring stage

Trump's appearance at the 2026 final will mark his third trophy handover with Infantino in two years. The timeline below traces the steps leading to the July ceremony.