US President Donald Trump will not attend the United States’ opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Paraguay, according to multiple reports citing scheduling and event commitments. The match is set to be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Andrew Giuliani, chief executive of the World Cup task force, says Trump is expected to be occupied with another engagement on the same weekend. Channel NewsAsia reports that Trump will miss the game but will remain “engaged throughout this World Cup,” with officials indicating his involvement continues despite his absence.
Times of India and Legit.ng link Trump’s decision partly to plans for a UFC-related event around the same time. Times of India also reports that his schedule and related public appearances in New York earlier in the week have influenced the timing, and that a US coach, Mauricio Pochettino, has raised concerns about the team’s culture ahead of the tournament. Other outlets focus primarily on the scheduling conflict and delegation arrangements, rather than broader commentary.
