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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Alexander Abnos

Infantino’s latest Oval Office show reminds us Trump will be inescapable at the 2026 World Cup

President Donald Trump holds the FIFA World Cup trophy after announcing the 2026 World Cup draw will be held at the Kennedy Center in December in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on Friday, August 22, 2025.
Trump has hosted a number of public events with Fifa president Gianni Infantino since January. Photograph: ABACA/Shutterstock

When Donald Trump remained on stage, grinning in the sun as Chelsea lifted the Club World Cup trophy last month, it was all too easy to treat the incident as a one-off mistake. A moment that said plenty about Trump’s ego, sure. But ultimately, only a moment.

Nope. It’s reality. Inescapable. Donald Trump will be everywhere Fifa is in the US, including at the 2026 World Cup – due to start in about 10 months, when Canada and Mexico will co-host.

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