Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino celebrate the 'successful' 2026 World Cup ahead of the Argentina vs. Spain final: Record numbers, jokes, and anecdotes

At a press conference in New York, less than 48 hours before the final between Argentina and Spain, President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino reviewed statistics and soccer anecdotes and explained the controversial incident involving American soccer player Folarin Balogun, which sparked a global scandal over the interference of the White House in the World Cup.

Infantino opened the press conference by praising Trump directly for the organization of the tournament. The FIFA president stated that "the American dream" had come true and that the World Cup had exceeded all critics' expectations.

"This World Cup has exceeded all expectations. Full stadiums, millions of people in the stadium, tens of millions in the cities in America, in Canada, in Mexico, billions in front of their TV, everyone enjoying the game with happiness, with joy, with peace!" Infantino said.

The remarks by the president of world soccer's governing body come after numerous criticisms in the months leading up to the tournament, during which the high cost of tickets and transportation difficulties in the U.S. were highlighted.

Trump, for his part, focused on the numbers. The president stated that the tournament had drawn more than 6.5 million spectators, making it, in his words, the most-attended sporting event in history, surpassing the combined attendance of the two previous World Cups. He added that the 2026 edition had broken virtually every record, largely due to the inclusion of 16 additional teams in the format, and compared the scale of the tournament to that of "many Super Bowls" taking place at the same time.

"I'm proud to report that with more than 6.5M attendees, this has been by far the most attended tournament in history… the total number of spectators exceeds the entire attendance of the last two World Cups combined. This has really brought the world together. The 2026 FIFA World Cup has broken almost every record imaginable. This is the largest World Cup in history by far — by many times, actually, welcoming 16 additional teams… it's like having [many] Super Bowls at one time."

The president also celebrated the World Cup's impact on the international perception of the United States. According to Trump, millions of visitors who arrived in the country with a negative impression—or simply without knowing what to expect—ended up falling in love with the experience, to the point that many would be willing to return, even permanently. The president's remarks sparked surprise on social media, as the Trump administration has been known for its hardline stance on immigration.

Then, in a more relaxed tone, Trump reviewed highlights from the tournament, surprising the journalists in the room. He recalled, for example, "the invasion" of Scottish fans on the streets of Boston last month, the affection shown by Argentine fans toward Lionel Messi and the Albiceleste star's hat trick in Kansas City against Algeria, which he described as "a feat" rarely seen in soccer. He also recalled France's victory in Philadelphia on July 4. He touched on Spain's early exit, a team he described as the tournament's heavy favorite before its first setback against Cape Verde, which he described as proof that in sports—as in life—sometimes you're "on a roll" and suddenly you're not. He concluded that passage by noting that there is always room for a comeback and by expressing gratitude for the honor of having shared the country with the world at a time, in his words, of great strength and prosperity for the United States.

The president also made a tongue-in-cheek proposal ahead of the next World Cup: that the world once again choose the United States as the sole host in 2030, this time leaving out Mexico and Canada, countries that, he said, he had generously helped bring into the current joint format. As an alternative, he raised the possibility of a joint hosting arrangement between China and the United States, joking that the distance between the two countries would allow players to enjoy "short flights" between matches.

One of the most talked-about moments of the press conference was Trump's reference to the red card shown to U.S. forward Folarin Balogun during the round-of-16 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The president acknowledged that he had contacted FIFA following the ejection, though he clarified in a humorous tone that his intention had not been to demand that the player be allowed to continue playing, but rather to file a formal complaint about the referee's decision. In the end, the president said that, despite Balogun's absence, the U.S. team ultimately lost to Belgium, thereby avoiding further controversy.

"I said, LET THE GUY IN THE GAME! No, I didn't say that. I said, I'd like to wage a complaint. And actually, I had no idea what was going to happen, but you know so much better the way it worked out because there's no controversy. They won the game and our team at all of its players!"

The press conference also had a family moment when Trump shared an anecdote about his son Barron and his love of soccer. The president recounted that he had asked his son what he would do if a faster opponent—from Spain, Argentina or France— outran him, to which Barron reportedly replied confidently that no one would be able to outrun him thanks to his ball-handling skills, though he didn't dare say what would happen if they did manage to do so.

Trump also publicly acknowledged his change of heart regarding soccer as a phenomenon in the United States. The president recalled that in the past, he doubted the country could become a soccer-loving nation, but he asserted that the evidence from the past month proves otherwise and that this trend is here to stay.

"I said, are you CRAZY?! We're not a SOCCER country! Turned out — we were a soccer country. And I think it's gonna remain!" Trump said.

Looking ahead to Sunday's decisive match, Trump praised Lionel Messi's individual skill, highlighting his assist against England, which he described as practically perfect, and placed him alongside Cristiano Ronaldo among the soccer players who, he said, are born with a talent that sets them apart from the rest. He also mentioned English forward Harry Kane, with whom he said he had played a round of golf, and considered it a mistake to have moved him to defense during the match against Argentina, rather than taking advantage of his offensive prowess. Unintentionally, the president joined the sports press, which has criticized England's head coach, Thomas Tuchel, for his poor tactical management in the semifinals against Argentina.

"I watched that pass that Messi made… He was well guarded by a great player and then he moved to the right, and the other player was just standing there… He kicked it. It was within, I would say, a quarter of an inch of being perfect," the president concluded.