U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday during a Cabinet meeting that he will attend Sunday’s Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey – a marquee event that also marks a milestone for global football’s growing footprint in the United States.
The announcement came on the same day FIFA revealed it had opened a new office inside New York’s Trump Tower, strengthening its presence ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
This year’s expanded Club World Cup, featuring many of the world’s top club teams, has been widely viewed as a rehearsal for the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and will feature a record 48 national teams.
Sunday’s final at MetLife – home to the NFL’s New York Jets and Giants – will serve as a preview of the 2026 World Cup championship match, which is also scheduled to be held at the same venue.
“I’ll be going to the game,” Trump told reporters.
The news came a day after FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the opening of a representative office at Trump Tower, where the Club World Cup trophy will be on display until the final.
“We have received such big support from the government and from the president with the White House task force for the FIFA Club World Cup now and for the FIFA World Cup next year,” Infantino said.
Trump has not shied away from sports’ super-sized spotlight during his second term, becoming the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl in February and, in May, announcing Washington, D.C., as the host city for the 2027 NFL Draft from the Oval Office.
His immigration crackdown and travel ban on 12 countries have prompted concerns ahead of the 2026 World Cup, even as Infantino offered assurances that the world will be welcomed in the United States for the quadrennial global showpiece.
A memo obtained by Reuters last month showed that the Trump administration was considering significantly expanding its travel restrictions by potentially banning citizens of 36 additional countries from entering the United States.
