President Donald Trump arrived at the New York New Jersey Stadium to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina on July 19.
Ahead of the game, the president said that he asked FIFA President Giovanni “Gianni” Infantino to let America host the next FIFA World Cup.
“I had a great idea for Gianni, I said, ‘You have to do two countries, so announce us again next time, and announce another country after that,” Trump said during a pre-show interview Sunday on Fox One.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup set a lengthy list of records, with more than 6.6 million fans filling 16 stadiums across North America, far surpassing the previous record of 3.6 million in the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA and exceeding the combined attendance of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
During the tournament, stadiums were at 99.7 percent capacity, an all-time record.
Trump said the United States will be requesting to host it again, “we have to do [it] while I’m around. You hear that, Gianni?”
Infantino called it the “most incredible event in human history.”
Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates the team’s second goal by Lautaro Martinez during the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinal match against England at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, on July 15, 2026. (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
“He kicked it perfectly, and it’s hard to bet against him,” Trump added.
Argentina is hoping for a back-to-back championship after winning the World Cup in 2022. It also won the tournament in 1986 and 1978.
Spain’s forward Lamine Yamal (#19) controls the ball during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between Spain and Austria at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on July 2, 2026. The 18-year-old could have played for his father’s native Morocco, but he chose to join the Rojas. (Etienne Laurent / AFP via Getty Images)
