President Donald Trump is expected to present the World Cup trophy to the champion following Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain, but the White House is already celebrating what it sees as an even bigger triumph: the successful hosting of the largest World Cup ever staged.

Speaking Friday during a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York City, Trump said the tournament had transformed perceptions of the United States as a soccer nation.

“It turned out we were a soccer country, and I think it’s going to remain,” Trump said Friday at a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York City. “This has really brought the world together.”

For the administration, Sunday’s championship marks the conclusion of more than a year of intensive planning with co-hosts Canada and Mexico to stage the historic tournament. Throughout that process, White House officials worked through major logistical challenges while also navigating the administration’s strict immigration policies, which prevented fans from certain World Cup qualifying nations from entering the United States.

Before the tournament began, organizers also faced criticism from human rights organizations and complaints over expensive ticket prices. At various points, Trump floated the possibility of relocating matches away from cities that refused to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, while disputes between FIFA and local governments over transportation costs added to the tensions surrounding the event.

Even as opening matches approached, the administration remained under international scrutiny because of several visa decisions, including denying entry to a Somali referee who had earned widespread praise for his officiating. Those concerns intensified after Trump launched military action against Iran, creating additional complications involving Iran’s national team, whose supporters and some staff members were barred from entering the United States and instead operated from neighboring Tijuana.

As the tournament unfolded, however, much of the controversy faded into the background. Online, countless visitors shared videos and stories celebrating American food, culture, and hospitality—from beer to ranch dressing—while many of the fears voiced before the event, including predictions of immigration enforcement activity around stadiums, never came to pass.

“One of the things that we talked about beforehand was, if we’re talking about what happened on the pitch, then we’ve done our job,” Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, said in an interview with The Associated Press. “But I think it’s even better than that. We’re not just talking about only the incredible, athletic feats on the pitch, but we’re talking about all these incredible, incredible cultural moments.”

Trump nevertheless became part of one of the tournament’s biggest controversies after personally contacting FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier this month to discuss a disputed officiating decision involving Team USA’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The referee had issued a red card to American forward Folarin Balogun, forcing him to miss the following game against Belgium.

According to Trump, he merely encouraged Infantino to review the decision. FIFA ultimately overturned the red card, and during Friday’s reception Trump praised the move, telling Infantino that “you made another great decision, if you think about it,” because it allowed the U.S. to keep a key player on the field even though the team lost the match to Belgium 4-1.

Giuliani defended the administration’s involvement, saying officials had a “duty” to seek answers about the officiating process, particularly because video review and slow-motion replay had been used in issuing the red card. He added that the federal government committed billions of dollars to help ensure the tournament was “not just a safe and secure event, not just where we welcomed the world, but an event that was filled with integrity.”

Successfully hosting the World Cup carries added significance for the United States because it will soon welcome two more major international sporting events: the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

The administration is also optimistic that the United States will receive hosting rights for the 2031 Women’s World Cup. Giuliani said one factor in pursuing that tournament is “ensuring that, in fact, women and only women will play in that 2031 Women’s World Cup,” reflecting the administration’s opposition to transgender women competing in women’s sports.

Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., who describes himself as a devoted World Cup fan and represents the state hosting Sunday’s championship match, acknowledged that while there were occasional transportation problems, the overall event has been overwhelmingly successful.

But “overall, just the joy that people have, the excitement that they have, has dramatically outweighed” any downsides, Kim said, who has been eagerly watching the games with his two young sons over the last several weeks.

The tournament also unfolded against a backdrop of strained relations among the three host nations. Since returning to office, Trump has imposed steep tariffs on both Canada and Mexico and has declined to renew the existing trilateral trade agreement, setting the stage for new negotiations.

On Friday, Trump even threatened tariffs against Canada over smoke from Canadian wildfires that has affected air quality in portions of the United States, including northern New Jersey, where the World Cup final will be played. He also joked that FIFA should award another World Cup to the United States and “this time, we’ll leave Mexico and Canada out.”

Despite those disagreements, both Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are expected to attend Sunday’s championship at Trump’s invitation, underscoring the tournament’s ability to bridge political differences.

“I received an invitation from President Trump to attend the World Cup final on Sunday, and I decided to go because it’s a direct invitation from the President of the United States,” Sheinbaum said. “Prime Minister Carney will also be there.”

Following longstanding tradition, Trump will present the World Cup trophy to the winning team after the final. Although he has not publicly endorsed either side, the matchup carries political intrigue.

Spain has frequently clashed with the Trump administration over NATO defense spending and Madrid’s refusal to allow American forces to launch strikes against Iran from Spanish bases. By contrast, Argentine President Javier Milei is one of Trump’s closest international allies, with Trump previously threatening to cut U.S. assistance if Milei’s political coalition failed to win key legislative elections.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is expected to attend the championship match, while Milei has opted to remain in Argentina, citing superstition.

{Matzav.com}