Donald Trump booed by fans at 2026 World Cup final
US President Donald Trump received a hostile reaction from fans as he presented the World Cup trophy to Spain.
Donald Trump was booed by fans at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
The President of the United States joined FIFA president Gianni Infantino on the podium to present the trophy after Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time.
As the two men stepped out onto the pitch at MetLife Stadium on Sunday (19.07.26), boos and jeers could be heard ringing out.
Despite the reaction, Trump could still be seen waving out to people in the stands.
At one point, just before Spain lifted the iconic trophy, Infantino was seen trying to usher the US President out of the way so they could celebrate as a team.
Before the match kicked off, Trump spoke to Fox News and claimed he tried to tell Infantino that the US is "not a soccer country" when the idea of the World Cup was first presented.
However, he said: "It turns out we are a soccer country."
Trump added: "I don’t think there’s ever been anything like what’s happened with the whole World Cup, it’s been beautiful to watch."
Earlier in the tournament, Trump left fans curious after admitting he phoned Infantino and asked him to "review" a red card and suspension handed to US striker Folarin Balogun, which allowed him to still play in the round of 16 game against Belgium.
The US still lost 4-1, and the Belgium players were seen appearing to mock Trump's dance moves from his 2024 presidential campaign.
Back in December 2025, FIFA sparked controversy by awarding Trump with his own Peace Prize months before the World Cup got underway.
At the time, Infantino told the US President: "You definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action, for what you have obtained in your way, but you obtained it in an incredible way.
"And you can always count, Mr. President, on my support, on the support of the entire … soccer community to help you make peace and make the world prosper."
Elsewhere, this year's World Cup final also featured the prestigious tournament's first ever halftime show, headlined by Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber and Shakira.
The 11-minute showcase was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, while stars like Matt Damon, Will Ferrell and Pharrell were all spotted in the crowd during the game.
Post Malone and iShowSpeed also made their own appearances during the pre-show 90 minutes before kickoff.
Before kickoff, Robbie Williams sang his official FIFA anthem Desire with Nicole Scherzinger and Laura Pausini, and Tom Cruise stepped onto the pitch to tell the crowd that "football has no language" as he reflected on the tournament as a whole.
He added: "These stories, these stories belong to each and every one of us, to every nation, to every player, to every supporter, to every volunteer, to every dream carried on the pitch.
"So as we gather for one final chapter, let us celebrate a tournament that brought the world together.
"Let us celebrate each other. This is football. This is unity. And this — this is greatness.”
