United States President, Donald Trump, will attend Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, the White House has confirmed, with the American leader set to make his first appearance at the tournament during its showpiece match.
The confirmation ends weeks of speculation over whether Trump would attend the final, following earlier remarks by FIFA President Gianni Infantino indicating that the US President would be present at the championship decider in New Jersey.
Announcing the development during a White House press briefing on Thursday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described Trump’s attendance as a symbolic conclusion to what the administration considers a successful tournament hosted by the United States.
“His attendance will cap what has been the most watched, most secure, and most successful World Cup in American history,” Leavitt said.
She added, “This is a fitting conclusion to to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world on the grandest stage.”
According to the White House, Trump’s schedule surrounding the final will also include a reception hosted by football’s global governing body, FIFA, at Trump Tower in New York on Friday.
Leavitt said the US President would participate in the event ahead of Sunday’s final, where Spain and Argentina will battle for football’s biggest prize.
Although FIFA President Gianni Infantino had announced in June that Trump would attend the final and present the trophy to the winning team, Thursday’s briefing marked the first official confirmation from the White House.
The final, scheduled to take place in New Jersey, is expected to attract a global television audience of hundreds of millions, while tens of thousands of fans are expected inside the stadium for the climax of the month-long competition.
Asked whether Trump would be supporting either Spain or Argentina during the final, Leavitt said she did not know which side the President would be backing.
The question comes after Trump criticised Spain during last week’s NATO summit over the European country’s failure to provide support for military action involving Iran, remarks that generated diplomatic attention.
Despite not attending any of the World Cup matches played before the final, Trump has remained closely associated with the tournament.
His involvement has largely been outside the stadium, with several of his comments and actions linked to the competition attracting political debate and public attention.
Sunday’s appearance will therefore mark Trump’s first physical presence at the tournament, as he joins world leaders, football officials, and thousands of supporters for one of the biggest sporting events of the year.
The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina is expected to bring the curtain down on a tournament that has drawn massive global interest and placed the United States at the centre of international football attention.
