President Donald Trump hosted FIFA President Gianni Infantino at Trump Tower on July 17, 2026, to celebrate the conclusion of the World Cup. Amid the festivities, Trump proposed the United States host the tournament independently in 2038, excluding current co-hosts Canada and Mexico from future joint-bidding arrangements.
Trump’s Proposal for Independent U.S. Hosting
During a reception in New York City, President Trump formally suggested that the United States should seek to host the FIFA World Cup again on its own. While the current tournament—the largest in history—is spread across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, Trump expressed a clear preference for a solo bid in the future. You should choose the United States of America again,
Trump stated, as reported by Politico. This time, we will leave Canada and Mexico out.
The president further remarked that FIFA should consider selecting other nations for upcoming tournaments to diffuse international tensions, suggesting such a rotation would take some of the anger, hatred and steam out of everyone.
The next available tournament for bidding is the 2038 World Cup. FIFA has already finalized the 2030 event, which will involve six countries—Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay—and has designated Saudi Arabia as the 2034 host.
FIFA President Infantino’s Remarks and the U.S.-China Proposal
Gianni Infantino, who also addressed the United Nations earlier that Friday regarding the role of sports in youth mental health, praised the success of the current tournament. He noted that stadiums have remained basically full
for the 102 matches played thus far, with total attendance projected to reach approximately 6.7 million, according to AP News.
For more on this story, see Donald Trump Proposes US-Only 2038 World Cup as FIFA Considers Expanding to 64 Teams.
During the reception, Trump disclosed an additional, previously unpublicized suggestion from the FIFA president. He noted that Infantino had proposed a joint hosting arrangement between the U.S. and China. Trump quipped that players would enjoy a nice short flight in between games,
highlighting the logistical scale of such a partnership.
Controversy and the Folarin Balogun Red-Card Ruling
The event also served as a moment for Trump to revisit his direct involvement in tournament disciplinary decisions. Earlier in the competition, Trump acknowledged calling Infantino to request a review of a red-card suspension issued to U.S. striker Folarin Balogun following a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. FIFA subsequently suspended the ban, a move that drew international criticism but which Trump defended at the reception.
Gianni made yet another of his good decisions,
Trump said. You made another great decision. You’ll never get credit for that.
The atmosphere remained celebratory despite the president’s lighthearted interjection during Infantino’s speech. When the FIFA president described his organization as the official happiness provider to humanity for 120 years,
Trump interjected with a dry, Unless your team loses.
Despite these moments of friction, Infantino remained effusive in his praise for the president’s personal contributions to the event, labeling it the greatest human, social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed.
Tournament Outlook Ahead of the Final
With the tournament nearing its conclusion, the focus shifts to the final matches. The third-place game between France and England is scheduled for Miami Gardens, Florida, followed by the final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Worth a look
