Will Donald Trump be at Club World Cup final? Chelsea and PSG sent White House message

Chelsea ’s FIFA Club World Cup campaign concludes this weekend with a showdown against European champions Paris Saint-Germain at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Enzo Maresca ’s side have enjoyed a memorable few weeks in the United States en route to the final, in what marks the inaugural edition of the expanded tournament. Chelsea won two of their three group-stage matches to reach the knockouts, with their only defeat coming against Brazilian side Flamengo on matchday two.

In the round of 16, they cruised past Benfica 4-1 before seeing off two more Brazilian sides - Palmeiras and Fluminense - in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, respectively. Now, they are preparing for their toughest test yet in PSG, who dismantled Real Madrid 4-0 in the previous round.

The final in New Jersey is expected to draw a strong crowd, unlike many of the games played throughout the competition. It has been a key event for FIFA, especially with the USA, Mexico, and Canada set to jointly host the World Cup in 2026 - but whether the most powerful man on the continent will be in attendance remains to be seen.

Will Donald Trump attend the final?

Earlier this week, Trump attended a cabinet meeting in New York and told journalists present that he would be attending the final. "I'll be going to the game," he stated to reporters, although it is not yet clear what his role will be.

There has been some suggestion that the 79-year-old will present the winning team with the trophy, while his presence at the final would also highlight the positive relations between the US and FIFA. Also this week, the football governing body announced it had opened an office in New York’s Trump Tower.

"We have received such a big support from the government and from the president with the White House taskforce for the Fifa Club World Cup and for the Fifa World Cup next year," said Fifa president Gianni Infantino this week. "Fifa is a global organisation and to be global you have to be local, you have to be everywhere, so we have to be in New York."

While there has been no official confirmation from the White House that Trump will attend Sunday’s final, a precedent may already have been set in February, when he became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl.

Story Saved

You can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.