President Donald Trump to miss United States’ opening World Cup game, Andrew Giuliani says
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump will not attend the United States men's national team’s opening match against Paraguay at the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to scheduling conflicts, confirmed Andrew Giuliani, CEO of the World Cup task force.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin will represent the U.S. at the game in Los Angeles.
- It is unusual for a host nation's head of state to miss their team’s opening World Cup match, with recent examples including Qatar's Emir attending in 2022 and Russia's President Putin attending in 2018.
- Giuliani suggested Trump may become more involved with the tournament as it progresses, noting that the president often surprises with unexpected actions.
- Trump has maintained a strong relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and has attended various major sporting events recently, despite mixed public reactions.