The President Donald Trump celebrated this Sunday the role of the United States as the host of the FIFA World Cup 2026, calling the tournament "one of the greatest events of any kind ever held."
The leader expressed his pride in the country's organization in statements circulated by the official account Rapid Response 47 on X.
"There has never been anything like it, probably in terms of an event, whether it's football or soccer, whatever you want to call it," Trump stated.
He assured that the tournament was "four times greater" than any previous FIFA World Cup and added that, according to information he received that same day, the figure could rise to "five times greater."
"We are very proud of our country. We are very proud of the work everyone did," stated Trump, who also congratulated FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his team for "the incredible work they did."
Trump attended the World Cup final held on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey —the only match out of the 104 in the tournament that he attended— arriving by presidential helicopter Marine One approximately 90 minutes before kickoff.
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time with a goal from Ferrán Torres in the 106th minute, claiming their second World Cup, 16 years after South Africa 2010.
The U.S. President, alongside Infantino, presented the medals to the players and the trophy to the Spanish captain Rodri Hernández, who also won the Ballon d'Or of the tournament.
Lionel Messi, in his last World Cup match, received his silver medal from Trump and broke down in tears at the end of the event.
At the end, the Kings of Spain, Felipe VI and Letizia, the President of the Spanish Government Pedro Sánchez, the Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and the Secretary of State Marco Rubio also attended.
The tournament recorded historic attendance figures
The FBI director, Kash Patel, reported this Monday that there were no "significant criminal attacks" throughout the championship, despite the scale of the event.
"To put it in perspective, we had 6.5 million people attending the 78 matches in the United States at 11 venues," noted Patel.
The FBI account described the operation as "essentially 78 Super Bowls in 38 days," coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security, local police, and 46 foreign security agencies, with 300,000 background checks on players, coaches, and staff.
The economic impact of the tournament reached approximately $20 billion for the United States and nearly $40 billion globally, making it the most profitable edition in the history of the World Cup.
Trump concluded his remarks with a reflection on the country's image: "People from all over the world have come and loved our country. It has showcased our country in a different light. It was something grand. It was a great event."
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