President Donald Trump is expected to show up at MetLife Stadium for the World Cup Final, and the build-up is already carrying plenty of extra noise. FOX broadcaster John Strong says he plans to handle it straight, even though Trump’s presence is bound to stir strong reactions in the crowd and on television.
Trump at a World Cup final is not some unheard-of political cameo, but this moment feels bigger because the country is so divided right now. The stadium will likely have fans who cheer him and others who would rather not see him anywhere near the broadcast, which makes the whole scene feel charged before the match even kicks off.
Strong said he expects the moment to be impossible to ignore, but also not something that should swallow the event whole. He said he will keep the focus on the game while still acknowledging that a sitting president being part of the final is a rare and memorable thing.
“Certainly when it comes to President Trump, there are no neutral opinions. But that means there are a lot of people in the audience who are super excited to see him at the game, and there are going to be a lot of people in the audience who maybe are less thrilled to have him on their TV screen,” Strong told reporters in a Zoom call Friday.
“As ever, it’s my job to play it down the middle and acknowledge the fact that the United States president being engaged with the sport, being at the game, that’s a fun, unique thing… Whatever I say, the tone of my voice will be scrutinized. It will be what it is. That’s the nature of it.
“But at the end of the day, I don’t think it needs to overshadow the wonderful sport, the wonderful event that this is, even as I say, at the same time, half of America is going to be thrilled to see him there, be so excited that he’s a part of it. And we’ll obviously see what happens with the trophy ceremony and all that as well.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino had already signaled that Trump would be there, and the White House later made it official. Karoline Leavitt called it “a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world on the grandest stage.”
Infantino also said he and Trump will take part in handing the World Cup trophy to the winning captain. That setup adds another layer to the night, since the trophy moment is usually one of the cleanest and most emotional parts of the whole tournament.
“We will be together with the president enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course, together,” Infantino said.
This would not be Trump’s first high-profile sports appearance with Infantino by a long shot. The two were also together for the FIFA Club World Cup final at the same New Jersey stadium last year, when Chelsea beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-0.
That appearance drew attention for more than just the soccer. Trump stayed on stage for the celebration and award presentation, which added a little chaos to the postgame scene and made the moment feel less polished than a typical trophy handoff.
He also got pulled into one of the World Cup’s more talked-about side stories, when he reportedly contacted Infantino about Folarin Balogun’s red card and asked for a review. Balogun was later ruled eligible, which gave that whole situation a strange aftertaste for fans who prefer their politics and sports kept far apart.
Trump has not yet attended a World Cup match itself, but the family has still been around major soccer moments. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was present at the U.S. Men’s National Team opener against Paraguay, a 4-1 win that gave American fans plenty to smile about.
The president has also been collecting big-event appearances beyond soccer, including Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. With the White House hosting UFC Freedom 250 last month and an IndyCar race set for Washington, D.C. next month, the sports calendar has clearly become part of the broader political spotlight.
Trump even received the first FIFA Peace Prize at the Kennedy Center during the World Cup final draw in December, another sign that his relationship with FIFA has been unusually close. Whether fans love that or roll their eyes at it, the final is now set to feature a crossover that is hard to ignore and even harder to pretend is ordinary.
