U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place in Washington, D.C., on December 5, joking that he should be allowed to keep the tournament’s gold trophy.
The event will be staged at the Kennedy Center, where Trump has recently appointed himself chairman of the board.
Flanked by FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the Oval Office, Trump lifted the trophy and asked, “Can I keep this?” Infantino, who brought the cup to the White House, responded: “Only the FIFA President, presidents of nations, and those who have won can touch it. It’s only for winners. And since you’re a winner, you can touch it as well.”
Trump, holding the cup with both hands, called it “an amazing piece of gold.” At one point, Infantino steadied the trophy after it appeared Trump might drop it, before placing it back on the president’s desk.
Infantino also presented Trump with a ceremonial ticket for the World Cup Final — Row 1, Seat 1 — scheduled for July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Securing the tournament has been a stated priority for Trump since his first term in office. The U.S. was confirmed as a joint host in 2018, during Trump’s presidency.
Trump lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden but returned to the White House after winning a second term in 2024. Since his return, he has introduced a sweeping immigration crackdown, though he insisted Friday that it will be “very simple” for fans to obtain visas to attend World Cup matches.
Visitors from certain countries, including Afghanistan, Haiti, and Iran, would face greater difficulty, Trump acknowledged. His administration has banned travelers from those nations.
The FIFA Club World Cup trophy, won last year by Chelsea in New Jersey, is still on display in the Oval Office more than a month after the tournament — a separate prize that Trump has kept.
