FIFA President Gianni Infantino has declared the 2026 FIFA World Cup a resounding success, praising United States President Donald Trump for his support of the tournament while saying the expanded global showpiece had fulfilled its mission of bringing people together across borders and cultures.
Speaking alongside Trump at Trump Tower in New York on Friday, ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, Infantino pointed to record-breaking attendance, sold-out stadiums and massive global television audiences as evidence that the biggest World Cup in history had exceeded expectations.
“The American dream, Mr. President, came to reality,” Infantino said. “We united the world.”
The FIFA president thanked Trump for his role in hosting the tournament, insisting the competition would not have achieved the same level of success without the support of the U.S. administration.
“You don’t need people to compliment you, Mr. President, but this World Cup would not have been such an incredible success without you,” Infantino said.
Trump, who hosted Infantino and several international football stars at the reception, described the tournament as “one of the all-time greatest sporting events in history.”
He also wished both finalists well ahead of Sunday’s title decider.
“So good luck to Spain and Argentina on Sunday and may the best team win,” the U.S. president said.
Earlier in the day, Infantino addressed a special session at the United Nations focused on football’s role in promoting youth mental health, where he used the World Cup to highlight sport’s ability to foster unity despite global divisions.
Holding one of the official match balls that will be used in the final, Infantino described it as “a magic object which has the power to unite the world.”
“We hear it many times, don’t we, that we live in a divided world, that we live in an aggressive world, that there are so many things that divide us, that create us problems,” he said.
“But we know as well, and if there is one thing, if there is one thing that this World Cup has shown us and is showing us, we know that there are many more things that bring us together than things that divide us.”
The 2026 tournament has been the largest in FIFA history, expanding from 32 to 48 participating nations and featuring 104 matches across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
With only the third-place playoff between England and France and Sunday’s final remaining, FIFA said virtually all of the 102 matches played so far had attracted sell-out crowds.
Overall attendance is expected to reach approximately 6.7 million spectators, setting a new World Cup record despite earlier concerns over high ticket prices and stricter immigration policies that some feared could discourage international supporters from travelling to North America.
Reflecting on the tournament’s broader impact, Infantino said millions of people had gathered peacefully throughout the competition.
“We have seen millions of people coming together in the last month and a half to the United States, to Canada and to Mexico, but in every corner of the world, coming together in a peaceful way, in a joyful way, wanting to spend time together and wanting to celebrate a moment of community,” he said.
“This is the strongest message ever and this is the message on which we have to build our future — a future of community and a future of unity.”
While the tournament has largely proceeded without major security incidents, it has not been without controversy.
Iran’s national team complained of strict travel restrictions while competing during a period of heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington. FIFA also faced criticism after Infantino overturned the red-card suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun following lobbying by Trump, who later described his intervention as “making a recommendation.”
Defending the decision, Trump remarked: “Gianni made yet another of his good decisions.”
The competition has also generated diplomatic tensions after the British government urged FIFA to investigate Argentina’s national team over players displaying a banner asserting Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands following their semifinal victory over England.
Despite the controversies, Infantino maintained that football remains one of humanity’s most powerful unifying forces and pledged FIFA’s support for global youth mental health initiatives.
He told delegates at the United Nations that football continues to transcend political, cultural and linguistic barriers.
“In two days, we will know if Spain or Argentina will be the world champion,” Infantino said.
“But what we know already, dear friends, is that football is not just the most popular sport in the world, but football has definitely become that common, that universal language that everyone speaks because everyone wants to come together.”
Attention now turns to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where Argentina and Spain will battle on Sunday for the right to be crowned champions of the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup.
AP
