FIFA rules clear Trump to handle World Cup trophy at MetLife final

US president Donald Trump was seen touching the World Cup trophy before the end of the 2026 final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium, prompting questions about who is permitted to handle football's most famous prize.

Trump became the first sitting US president to attend a World Cup final on American soil. Television cameras showed him seated alongside his wife Melania and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who then signalled that he could touch the trophy as it was presented to him by Brazilian former World Cup winner Ronaldo.

Why is he allowed to touch it?

FIFA's protocols permit heads of state, along with previous tournament winners, to touch the trophy, and Trump qualifies under the first of those categories. He had already been granted that honour when Infantino visited the White House last year. talkSPORT reported in June that Trump had also been given clearance to join the winning squad for the post-match trophy lift.

• Trump is the first sitting US president to attend a World Cup final on home soil
• FIFA allows heads of state and former tournament winners to touch the trophy
• He was seated with Melania Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino
• In 1994, vice president Al Gore presented the trophy rather than president Bill Clinton
• He attended the final as Infantino's guest of honour

Not his first appearance on a trophy stage

The president's involvement in football ceremonies is not new. He joined Chelsea on stage when the London club won the Club World Cup last summer, an appearance that drew a similar reaction. His presence at the 2026 final was in keeping with a tournament of which he has been a prominent public face.

Speaking to Fox's Jenny Taft before kick-off, Trump said he would push to host the tournament again and suggested announcing two future host countries to soften the reaction to a repeat US bid. The next World Cup that is not yet assigned is in 2038, when he would be 92.

With FIFA's rules unchanged, the focus after the final is likely to shift back to the football itself and to the next bidding cycle, where a future US request would be decided by FIFA's member associations rather than by any individual guest of honour.