Argentina president refuses to watch World Cup final with Donald Trump

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Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Accredited sports journalist covering football since 2020

Argentina president Javier Milei has confirmed that he will not watch the 2026 World Cup final at the MetLife Stadium and will instead take in the action from home.

Lionel Scaloni’s side booked their place in Sunday’s final after a late 2-1 win over England and they will face Euro 2024 champions Spain as they look to become the first nation to successfully defend their World Cup crown since Brazil in 1962.

However, they won’t have the support of Milei in the stadium, who will remain at home for the final due to superstitious reasons.

When asked if he will travel to New Jersey to watch the final alongside Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Milei told Argentine radio station El Observador: “No way. I'm going to keep watching all the games from Olivos.”

He added: “Since it's cold and I don't turn on the heat, I wear an oil company-branded jacket. The day of the Switzerland game, it made me really hot. I took it off, and they scored a goal against us. I put it back on and never took it off again.”

Meanwhile, Milei subsequently defended the Argentina squad for their actions following the win over England after they displayed a banner that read: “Las Malvinas son Argentina,” which translates to: “The Falklands are Argentine.”

The UK government has asked FIFA to conduct an investigation into the incident and it’s understood that Argentina risks being punished by world football’s governing body.

“The Malvinas are Argentine. What the players did is understandable; emotion got the better of them,” Milei said in response.

“They did it, and that will probably lead to a discussion of an economic sanction. It is perfectly valid and legitimate for the players to want to express themselves and do so.

“The things that happen on the field with the players are not part of diplomacy. In the worst-case scenario, Argentina will face a £20,000 economic sanction from FIFA. We are going to recover the Malvinas, and we will do so through diplomatic means, with intelligence in our actions.”

Although Argentina won’t be represented by their president at the MetLife Stadium, it has been confirmed that the Spanish Royal Family will be at the match. King Felipe, Queen Letizia and their two daughters, Leonor and Sofia, will all be at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday, and it will be the first time that all four members of the Royal Household will have attended a football match together.

Meanwhile, Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish Prime Minister, and Milagros Tolon, the country’s Minister for Sport, will also be in attendance.

White House confirm Donald Trump plan for World Cup final

U.S president Trump is expected to be in attendance at the World Cup final too, and this has now been confirmed by the White House. “We look forward ⁠to the final match on Sunday, ​and I know ‌the president ‌looks forward to attending,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday.

“This is a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world on the grandest stage.”

In addition, the aforementioned Infantino has revealed that Trump is set to hand the World Cup trophy to the winners. “Hopefully we’ll present the trophy together in the final," he explained.

"That’s always been the plan - and that’s how it’s always been done in the past - for the president of the country hosting the final to present the trophy together with the FIFA president.”

Trump infamously remained on stage for the trophy lift at the Club World Cup last summer, and there are fears that he will do the same on Sunday, despite the fact that USA are not competing in the showpiece final.

Spain head into Sunday’s clash as the clear favourites to win, although they haven’t reached the World Cup final since their victory in 2010, while Argentina finished runners-up in 2014 before winning the tournament last time out in 2022.