U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed he will attend Sunday’s FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The announcement follows FIFA’s decision to open a new office in New York’s Trump Tower, marking a symbolic move to deepen its presence in the United States.
The country is currently hosting the inaugural edition of the expanded Club World Cup and is set to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico.
The final match will see Chelsea take on either Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid at the same venue where next year’s World Cup final is scheduled to be played.
Trump, who also attended the Super Bowl earlier this year, is chairing a White House taskforce focused on overseeing preparations for both tournaments.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino praised the U.S. government’s involvement, saying:
“We have received such a big support from the government and from the president with the White House taskforce for the FIFA Club World Cup and for the FIFA World Cup next year.”
He added, “FIFA is a global organisation and to be global you have to be local, you have to be everywhere, so we have to be in New York.”
FIFA already maintains an office in Miami, and the new location in Trump Tower is seen as a strategic expansion to strengthen ties with the U.S. administration.
Despite ongoing controversy over Trump’s immigration policies and a travel ban affecting 12 countries, Infantino offered assurances to international fans, “FIFA is a global organisation and to be global you have to be local… fans will be welcomed to the U.S.”
Trump is reportedly considering extending travel restrictions to as many as 36 additional countries.
Since the start of his second term, Trump has increased his engagement with the sports world.
He became the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl and announced in May that Washington D.C. will host the 2027 NFL Draft.
He has also made several appearances at UFC events, including one in New Jersey last month, and stated that the White House will host a UFC event in the coming year.