Trump to Attend FIFA Club WC Final in Soft Power Play

The U.S. president is set to attend the final of the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where Paris Saint-Germain will face Chelsea. His presence marks yet another attempt to use the global reach of the "beautiful game" as a tool of soft power diplomacy.

The final also serves as a dry run for next year’s FIFA World Cup final, which will be held in the same venue. Trump has made clear he views both tournaments — along with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics — as pillars of what he calls the “Golden Age of America” during his second presidential term.

His close friendship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, a regular guest at the White House, has no doubt influenced his involvement. In fact, since Infantino’s visit in March, the Club World Cup trophy has held a spot of honor beside Trump’s desk in the Oval Office.

But Trump’s embrace of football — or “soccer,” in American parlance — goes beyond politics. It’s also personal.

His 19-year-old son Barron is a passionate fan, a point Infantino emphasized during a press conference at FIFA’s new U.S. headquarters, located inside Trump Tower in New York.

Asked whether Trump truly liked the sport, Infantino responded: “I think he does. During his first term, there was a soccer goal set up in the White House garden. He told me his son loved the game — and as a parent, you love what your children love. So yes, I think he loves it.”

Trump himself reportedly played the sport for a season during his time at New York Military Academy, though his footballing days were short-lived.
Unusual Bedfellow

Trump’s enthusiasm for a sport that still plays second (or fourth) fiddle to American football, basketball, and baseball may seem out of character. But football's blend of spectacle, global influence, and popularity aligns with Trump's long-standing flair for power, optics, and mass appeal.

When Infantino visited Washington earlier this year, Trump proudly noted that it was during his first presidency in 2018 that the United States secured hosting rights for the 2026 World Cup.

“I was so sad,” he said, “because I thought I wouldn’t be president when the World Cup came. But here we are.” His unexpected political comeback, following his 2020 loss, has changed that.

The Club World Cup itself has also defied expectations. The expanded tournament has drawn approximately 2.5 million fans across the country and produced several thrilling matches.

Infantino, no stranger to navigating strongman politics, praised Trump’s involvement.

“President Trump immediately understood the importance of the FIFA Club World Cup — and of next year’s World Cup,” Infantino said Saturday. He joked that Trump “certainly loves the trophy,” whose gold curves match the opulent aesthetic Trump has brought back to the Oval Office.
Politics on the Pitch

But Trump’s foray into global football has not been without controversy.

When Italian club Juventus visited the White House in June, Trump used the occasion to launch into a diatribe on transgender athletes in sports before turning to the players and asking: “Could a woman make your team, fellas?”

Most players looked puzzled. Juventus general manager Damien Comolli eventually replied: “We have a very good women’s team.” Trump laughed and remarked, “He’s being very diplomatic.”

At the same time, Trump’s hardline immigration policies have raised concerns about how welcoming the U.S. will be for international fans.

In May, Vice President JD Vance said that while World Cup attendees would be “welcome to come,” they would be expected to leave promptly when their visas expired. “When the time is up,” he said, “they will have to go home.”