Istanbul / Ahmed Hassan / Anadolu

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday that US President Donald Trump will attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday in New York between Spain and Argentina.

According to The New York Times, Leavitt told reporters: 'We are looking forward to the final match on Sunday, and I know the president is looking forward to attending it. This is a fitting conclusion to a tournament that has shown America's ability to host the world on the biggest sports stage.'

She added that she does not know which team Trump is rooting for in the final, but she added: 'I'm sure he will have a fun answer for you.'

Leavitt confirmed that Trump will travel to New York on Friday to attend a FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) reception at Trump Tower in Manhattan, and will then attend the Sunday match between Argentina and Spain.

Trump has not attended any match in the tournament, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier stated that Trump will hand over the World Cup to the winners at the New York/New Jersey stadium.

Infantino said: 'Yes, we hope to present the cup together at the final. This has always been the plan, and it is customary for the head of state hosting the final to present the cup alongside the FIFA president.'

At the 2022 World Cup final, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani joined Infantino to hand the cup to Lionel Messi and his Argentine teammates, while Vladimir Putin had handed it to Kylian Mbappé and France after their 2018 World Cup win in Russia.

It is worth noting that Trump was at the center of the event during the FIFA Club World Cup final last summer at the same stadium in New Jersey, where he presented the cup to the English champions Chelsea.

The US president has a close relationship with Infantino, and he contacted the FIFA president to push for a reconsideration of the controversial suspension of US national team star Folarin Balogun after he received a red card before the Round of 16 match.

FIFA indeed canceled Balogun's suspension, but this political uproar cast a shadow over the US team, which exited the promising World Cup with a harsh 1-4 loss to Belgium.