President Trump attended the FIFA Club World Cup final Sunday at MetLife Stadium, giving him a preview of what’s in store next year when the U.S., Mexico and Canada host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mr. Trump and first lady Melania Trump traveled from their golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, to the stadium 40 miles away in East Rutherford to watch the 3 p.m. championship game between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
The president’s trip to New Jersey fell on the first anniversary of the assassination attempt he survived in Butler, Pennsylvania, while campaigning. He did not have any public plans to mark the date beyond participating in a taped Fox News Channel interview with his daughter-in-law Lara Trump that aired Saturday night.
Trump hands Chelsea their CWC trophy
The president joined the players on the field after the match to congratulate the tournament’s outstanding performers, present PSG players with their runner-up medals and hand Chelsea their championship trophy.
“It was an upset today I guess,” Trump told reporters after flying back to Washington following Chelsea’s victory. “But it was a great match.”
Trump and the first lady were greeted with cheers as they arrived at MetLife Stadium just ahead of the pre-match performance by musical artists Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini. And the president got a smattering of boos when he was briefly shown on the stadium’s mega-screen.
The president waved to the crowd and pumped his fist as he and his entourage arrived at the stadium luxury box, where they took in the match with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his wife, Leena Al Ashqar.
Other guests spotted in the president’s suite included Attorney General Pam Bondi, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, NFL great Tom Brady and media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JULY 13: FIFA President Gianni Infantino (R) attempts to direct U.S. President Donald Trump away from the celebrating Chelsea footballers after they won the final match of the FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium on July 13, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The international sporting match also offered an opportunity for Trump and aides to huddle with Qatari government officials.
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, in a brief exchange with reporters ahead of the match, said he remained “hopeful” about Gaza ceasefire and hostage negotiations.
Witkoff, who joined Trump for the tournament finale, appeared to nod affirmatively when asked by reporters if he planned on meeting with senior officials from the Gulf nation of Qatar, which is serving as an intermediary with Hamas in the talks, during the match.
“I’ll be meeting them,” Witkoff said.
President Trump frequently attends sporting events
Sporting events have made up the bulk of Mr. Trump’s trips in the U.S. since taking office this year.
Before this weekend’s soccer tournament, he attended Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, the Daytona 500 in Florida, UFC fights in Miami and Newark, New Jersey, and the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia.
U.S. President Donald Trump reacts after posing with family members of victims in the January 1 attack on Bourbon Street and emergency responders prior to Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
The president also has a warm relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and has said he plans to attend multiple World Cup matches next year.
Last week, Infantino announced FIFA opened an office inside Trump Tower in New York City, a sign of deepening ties between soccer’s governing body and the president.
The 2026 World Cup final will also be played at MetLife Stadium.
Mark Prussin
contributed to this report.
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