Trump expected – President Donald Trump is not planning to attend the U.S. men’s World Cup opener in Los Angeles on June 12, according to a White House official. He is expected instead to attend the July 19 World Cup championship final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey—while hi
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump will not be in Los Angeles for the U.S. men’s national team’s World Cup opener on June 12 against Paraguay.
A White House official said Trump expects to attend the July 19 World Cup championship final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The choice creates a sharp contrast with how the 2026 World Cup is being framed at the highest level. Trump has spent the past year counting down to 11 U.S. cities hosting the tournament. welcoming FIFA President Gianni Infantino to the White House on numerous occasions. and boasting about the U.S. hosting the World Cup while celebrating its 250th anniversary. Infantino even awarded Trump the inaugural “FIFA Peace Prize.”.
Trump’s preference for major sporting events has also raised eyebrows. He attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals just this week, a detail that makes the absence from the World Cup opener in Los Angeles stand out more clearly.
The daily schedule is tighter than the instinct to travel. On Friday, June 12, the final event listed for Trump is a 5:30 p.m. ET interview, with no plans to make the long flight to Los Angeles. The match at SoFi Stadium begins at 9 p.m. ET.
Custom usually favors the final. It is customary for heads of states of World Cup host countries to attend the final matches. The emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, attended the last World Cup held in Qatar in 2022.
The White House did not provide a reason for Trump’s absence at the U.S. opener.
The timing comes as Trump is also working to finalize a memorandum of understanding with Iran this weekend that would end the U.S. war in Iran.
There is also another political and logistical layer to Los Angeles. Trump has engaged in several contentious battles with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. both Democrats. including over the deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles in 2025 following protests over his immigration policies.
Scheduling pressure isn’t limited to the World Cup. Trump has a different sporting event he must be in Washington for on Sunday, June 14: the White House is hosting an Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the South Lawn. The UFC event is expected to draw 4,300 spectators.
That UFC date lands on Trump’s 80th birthday and Flag Day, adding symbolic weight to a weekend already crowded with high-stakes diplomatic efforts and major public appearances.
The sequence is hard to miss: for a tournament he has loudly championed. Trump is set to miss its first U.S. match in Los Angeles. yet remain on track for the championship final in New Jersey—while his focus between now and mid-June stretches across diplomacy. Washington-facing events. and a schedule that leaves little room for a cross-country detour on opening night.
Donald Trump World Cup 2026 U.S. men's national team Los Angeles Paraguay MetLife Stadium East Rutherford Gianni Infantino FIFA Peace Prize Iran memorandum of understanding Ultimate Fighting Championship UFC White House event Karen Bass Gavin Newsom National Guard