President Donald Trump is expected to present the World Cup trophy following Sunday's final between Argentina and Spain. The White House views the tournament's successful hosting as a major achievement, marking the conclusion of intensive planning with co-hosts Canada and Mexico to stage what organizers describe as the largest World Cup ever held.
At a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York City on Friday, Trump stated that the tournament had shifted perceptions of the United States. "It turned out we were a soccer country, and I think it's going to remain," Trump said. "This has really brought the world together."
The hosting process involved navigating significant logistical challenges and the administration's immigration policies, which restricted entry for fans from certain World Cup qualifying nations. Before the tournament began, organizers faced criticism from human rights groups and complaints about ticket prices. The administration considered relocating matches from cities that refused to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, while disputes over transportation costs created additional tensions. Visa decisions, including denying entry to a Somali referee and complications involving Iran's national team and supporters, drew international scrutiny.
As the tournament progressed, much of the controversy receded. Social media users shared content celebrating American culture and hospitality, and predicted enforcement activity around stadiums did not materialize. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, stated: "One of the things that we talked about beforehand was, if we're talking about what happened on the pitch, then we've done our job. But I think it's even better than that."
Trump drew controversy by contacting FIFA President Gianni Infantino to discuss a disputed red card against American forward Folarin Balogun in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. FIFA overturned the decision, and Trump praised the move at Friday's reception.
Giuliani defended the administration's involvement, saying officials had a "duty" To seek answers about the officiating process and that the federal government committed billions of dollars to ensure the tournament was "not just a safe and secure event, not just where we welcomed the world, but an event that was filled with integrity."
The administration is pursuing hosting rights for the 2031 Women's World Cup. Giuliani noted the administration's position is "ensuring that, in fact, women and only women will play in that 2031 Women's World Cup."
Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., acknowledged occasional transportation problems but stated that "overall, just the joy that people have, the excitement that they have, has dramatically outweighed" Any downsides.
The tournament occurred amid strained relations among the three host nations, with Trump having imposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico. On Friday, Trump threatened additional tariffs against Canada over wildfire smoke and joked that FIFA should award another World Cup to the United States, saying "this time, we'll leave Mexico and Canada out."
Despite disagreements, both Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are expected to attend Sunday's final. Sheinbaum said: "I received an invitation from President Trump to attend the World Cup final on Sunday, and I decided to go because it's a direct invitation from the President of the United States."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is expected to attend, while Argentine President Javier Milei has opted to remain in Argentina, citing superstition.