Trump’s presence at the World Cup final
During the recent World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Donald Trump remained on stage following the trophy presentation to Spain. This occurred after Spain secured their victory against Argentina. Trump, alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, presented the trophy, but then stayed in the frame as the Spanish team celebrated their win.
This was not the first instance of Trump lingering during a trophy celebration. He had a similar presence at the 2025 Club World Cup when Chelsea lifted their trophy. Marc Cucurella, a defender who was present at both events, witnessed Trump’s continued presence on both occasions.
The former US President watched the match from a glassed-in suite, accompanied by dignitaries including Infantino, Spain’s King Felipe VI, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also in attendance. At one point during the second half, Trump was observed conversing with Carney.
Earlier in the match, Trump was briefly shown on stadium video screens after the US national anthem, which was met with scattered boos from some in the crowd. Television broadcasts also showed him touching the trophy from his seat in the early stages of the match and conversing with Melania Trump in the 85th minute. However, he did not appear on the stadium screens during the game itself.
Reactions and previous incidents
The crowd’s reaction to Trump’s presence became more pronounced when he descended to the field to present the World Cup trophy. A significant portion of the crowd booed and jeered as he joined Infantino and other heads of state. Following the presentation of medals to the players, Trump and Infantino held the World Cup trophy together before presenting it to Spain’s captain, Rodri.
Infantino appeared to attempt to guide Trump away from the celebrations, and Rodri also motioned for Trump to move to the left of the podium. Despite these cues, Trump remained on the edge of the celebrations. Infantino reportedly jogged over to make a final plea for him to leave, but it was too late as Rodri lifted the trophy with Trump still in the frame. He departed by the time confetti fell.
This incident drew comparisons to Trump’s appearance at the 2025 Club World Cup. Following that event, Chelsea captain Reece James stated he was informed Trump would “present the trophy, and then exit the stage.” Chelsea player Cole Palmer expressed confusion regarding the incident at the time.
Social media accounts for FIFA and the Spanish team later shared pictures of the celebration that appeared to be cropped to exclude Trump. This included photos on FIFA’s official accounts and a post from the Spanish team on Instagram immediately after the match, as well as a later 20-slide post.
Controversies and the tournament outcome
Trump’s involvement in sporting events has generated a sentiment among some American sports fans that his presence should be avoided. For example, the New York Knicks lost their only game of the NBA finals this year with Trump in attendance at Madison Square Garden, where he also received boos.
Earlier in this World Cup, the US national team experienced a 4-1 defeat against Belgium in the last-16. This followed a call Trump made to Infantino, which reportedly led to the suspension of striker Folarin Balogun’s red card.
Both Trump and Infantino have faced controversy throughout the World Cup. Some fans have accused Infantino of aligning with Trump ahead of the United States hosting the tournament. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter described the organization as a “dictatorship” in February and accused Infantino of being “submissive” to Trump.
Infantino has also faced accusations from some fans regarding alleged favoritism towards Argentina and its star player, Lionel Messi. These accusations gained momentum this year after Argentina’s controversial win over Egypt, which prompted the Egyptian team to question the consistency and fairness of officiating.
Spain ultimately won the World Cup by defeating reigning champions Argentina with a single goal in overtime. This victory marked Spain’s first World Cup title since 2010 and prevented Argentina from becoming the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back titles. Argentina played the final stretch of the match with one less player after Enzo Fernandez received a red card for tackling Spain’s Pau Cubarsí.
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Source: theguardian.com
Daniel Fairbrother is the Senior Football Correspondent at Latest News UK, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with over a decade of reporting experience. He spent eight years on the football desk of a Yorkshire daily before moving into national coverage. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of Sunderland and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Leeds, he watches non-league football and runs a five-a-side league. “The best football stories are won in the week, not on the whistle.”