Trump and Infantino booed at World Cup trophy ceremony as politics and sport collide on global stage

US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino were met with a chorus of boos from the crowd during a World Cup trophy ceremony on July 20, drawing an unmistakable line between political sentiment and the world’s biggest sporting event.

What happened at the ceremony

During the trophy presentation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, both Trump and Infantino faced audible jeers from spectators. The 2026 tournament is historically significant: it is the first World Cup to feature an expanded 48-team format, and it is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Infantino, who has served as FIFA President since 2016, has long been a polarizing figure in global football governance. His expansion of the tournament from 32 to 48 teams was pitched as a way to make the competition more inclusive, though critics have argued it was primarily a revenue play, designed to sell more broadcast rights and sponsorship packages across additional markets.

Trump’s presence at the ceremony carried its own gravitational pull. The US is the primary host nation, and the administration has leaned into the World Cup as a showcase event for American soft power.

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