Trump urges FIFA to bring World Cup back to US after ‘beautiful’ 2026 tournament

Former US President Donald Trump has called on FIFA to award another World Cup to the United States “as soon as possible”, declaring the country is now “a soccer nation” after what he hailed as the huge success of the 2026 tournament.

Trump made the comments to FIFA president Gianni Infantino after attending the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey – his first appearance at a match during the six-week competition co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

In an interview with broadcaster Jenny Taft on Fox Sports before the final, Trump said the tournament’s record attendances should convince world football’s governing body to bring the event back to American soil.

“I think the attendance was 99.9%, and that number might not be accurate, because the stadiums were actually completely full,” Trump said.

He added: “Based on the numbers the tournament achieved, we will submit a bid to host again immediately.”

Direct appeal to Infantino

Trump revealed that he had personally pressed Infantino over future hosting rights, suggesting FIFA could pre-empt the usual bidding drama.

“I said that to remove the element of surprise, you can announce our winning the hosting rights and then give the next edition to another country, and maybe the one after that as well,” he said.

“But we must host the World Cup again, and it has to happen while I am still around. Do you hear that, Gianni?”

Trump described the 2026 edition as a “beautiful” tournament and argued that its success had transformed the US sporting landscape.

He insisted the country had fully embraced the game during the month-and-a-half event, saying the United States had become “a soccer country” on the back of unprecedented crowds and global attention.

World Cup hosting already mapped out to 2034

FIFA has already allocated the next two editions of the men’s World Cup, meaning the earliest possible return to North America would be 2038.

Spain, Portugal and Morocco are set to co-host the 2030 World Cup, in a tournament that will also feature a unique three-match opening phase in South America. The first games are scheduled to take place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to mark the centenary of the inaugural World Cup, held in Uruguay in 1930.

Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as host of the 2034 World Cup, after a streamlined bidding process that left the kingdom as the only candidate.

With 2030 and 2034 assigned, the next available tournament – and the first that could realistically be staged again in the United States – will be in 2038. FIFA has not yet opened the bidding process for that edition.

Pressure on FIFA amid record attendances

Trump’s intervention comes as world football officials hail the commercial and sporting success of the expanded 48-team World Cup format, used for the first time in 2026.

Stadium capacities in North America far exceed many venues used in previous tournaments, and the event delivered substantial matchday and broadcast revenues, strengthening the case for future World Cups in major markets.

While FIFA’s bidding rules prohibit any guarantee of hosting in advance of a competitive process, Trump’s comments increase political and public pressure on Infantino’s administration to consider another US-led bid.

For now, however, the global showpiece is set to return to Europe, Africa, South America and Asia before any potential repeat in North America, leaving US football officials looking towards a long-term campaign for 2038 and beyond.