The possibility of President Trump attending the US team's opening match at the World Cup

The US team is scheduled to play in Los Angeles on June 12 against Paraguay in its first home match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

President Trump's absence from this match is seen as a disappointment as the US officially begins its role as co-host of the world's biggest soccer tournament. A day earlier, Paraguayan President Santiago Pena announced he would travel to California to watch the game.

The office of Paraguayan President Santiago Pena said he would arrive in Los Angeles on June 12 for a four-day visit, which includes attending the match taking place on June 13.

Meanwhile, the US State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the official US delegation to attend the match.

This decision comes as Washington deals with a series of diplomatic and logistical challenges related to the tournament, including visa issues affecting some participating countries and teams.

President Trump has repeatedly praised the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games, also held in Los Angeles. Both are iconic international sporting events taking place during his term.

Responding to a question from an AFP (France) reporter in the Oval Office about whether he planned to attend World Cup matches, President Trump answered briefly: "I will, I will."

The US leader did not disclose further details, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he expects President Trump to present the trophy to the winning team in the final match on July 19.

The 2026 World Cup is the largest tournament ever, expanding to 48 teams, up from 32 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Four national teams—Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan—are making their debut in the world's biggest soccer tournament this year.

Approximately 6.5 million fans are expected to attend 104 matches across 16 host cities. According to the official schedule, the 2026 World Cup finals will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026 in three North American countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The opening match of the 2026 World Cup is scheduled for June 11 in Mexico.