Donald Trump to Skip USA's First Match at 2026 World Cup

President Donald Trump will be absent from the United States men’s national team’s inaugural 2026 FIFA World Cup match against Paraguay, scheduled to take place on Friday, as confirmed by World Cup Task Force CEO Andrew Giuliani.

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Earlier reports suggesting Trump would not attend the fixture at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, have been substantiated, with the U.S. government instead being represented by high-ranking officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin.

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According to Giuliani, who spoke with UK radio station TalkSport on Thursday, Trump’s scheduling commitments are the reason for his absence from the opening match, although the president is expected to remain closely involved with the tournament.

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Giuliani stated, “He’s not going to end up attending the opening game,” and added, “As we’ve said, his scheduling is tight. But I know he’s going to be engaged throughout this World Cup.”

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Giuliani also implied that Trump may make appearances at future matches as the tournament progresses, noting that the president is unpredictable and prone to surprise moves.

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Giuliani remarked, “But the one thing, having known President Trump for now 30 years, what I can tell you is: expect the unexpected. Always expect a cliffhanger with him.”

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He further added, “Throughout the course of this tournament, it wouldn’t surprise me if we see him engage more and more with the World Cup.”

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Trump’s decision to miss the United States’ opening fixture is notable, given the tradition of heads of state from host nations attending their teams’ first matches at recent World Cups, such as Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at Qatar’s opening game in 2022 and Vladimir Putin at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

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The United States, co-hosting the expanded 48-team tournament alongside Mexico and Canada, will begin their campaign against Paraguay, aiming to make a strong start in front of home supporters.