New York to host World Cup final with Trump and Infantino presenting trophy
World Cup Final Preparations
The World Cup final is set to take place on Sunday at the New York New Jersey Stadium, featuring a match between Spain and Argentina. President Donald Trump is confirmed to attend the championship game. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced his attendance, highlighting the event as a showcase for America’s ability to host global events.
Before the final, President Trump is scheduled to attend a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York on Friday. FIFA President Gianni Infantino previously stated that he and Trump will present the World Cup trophy to the winning team. This practice aligns with the tradition of the host nation’s leader participating in the trophy presentation, as seen in the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Argentina, the reigning champions, secured their place in the final after a victory over England. Spain advanced to the championship match by defeating France 2-0 on Tuesday. Argentina is aiming for consecutive World Cup titles, while Spain seeks its first championship since 2010.
Presidential Presence and Past Appearances
President Trump has not attended a World Cup match during the tournament. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was present at the United States men’s national team’s 4-1 win against Paraguay on June 12.
This upcoming appearance marks another instance of President Trump attending a major sporting event. He previously attended the Copa Gianni final at the same venue last year. Following Chelsea’s triumph against Paris Saint-Germain, Trump and Infantino presented the trophy to Reece James. During that ceremony, Trump remained on stage as the trophy was lifted, alongside Robert Sánchez and Cole Palmer.
Palmer commented on the situation, stating, “I knew he was going to be here but I didn’t know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy. I was a bit confused.” Boos were heard for Trump at that event, as they were at Madison Square Garden during a New York Knicks game in June. Despite this, Trump claimed the reception was “mostly cheers” and “very enthusiastic.”
International Relations and Player Reunions
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will also be in New Jersey for the game, his office confirmed. This will mark another meeting between Sanchez and President Trump, despite ongoing tensions between the two leaders concerning defense spending and other international matters. At a recent NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, the two leaders reportedly had an informal conversation that included discussions about the World Cup.
The Spanish royal family, including King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor, and Infanta Sofia, have also confirmed their attendance at the final. The match is also anticipated to feature a reunion between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal. Pictures from 2007 show a younger Messi with Yamal as a baby, taken for a charity calendar supporting Unicef. Yamal has since become a prominent player at Barcelona, inheriting the No. 10 shirt, and will now face Messi in a World Cup final.
In contrast to the high-profile attendees, Argentina’s Javier Milei will not be at the final. He stated that superstition has convinced him to watch the match from home in Olivos, wearing an oil company-branded jacket. He recounted removing the jacket during a previous game against Switzerland, after which a goal was scored against his team, leading him to keep it on for subsequent matches.
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Source: theguardian.com
