President Donald Trump has officially received the first ticket for the FIFA World Cup 2026 after a visit from FIFA President Gianni Infantino to the White House.
The symbolic gesture marked the United States’ central role as host nation for the upcoming tournament. Infantino personally handed Trump the ticket on Friday, noting its special designation: “It’s of course row one, seat one… it’s ticket number 45/47.” The numbers reflect Trump’s history as the 45th U.S. president and his current position as the 47th.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be one of the largest in history, running from June 11 to July 19, 2026. It will be hosted across 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the U.S. serving as the primary host. This will be the second time the U.S. hosts the tournament, the first being in 1994, and the first to feature an expanded 48-team format.
Trump also announced that the World Cup draw will take place on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
Calling the event a “phenomenal kickoff,” Trump emphasized the scale of the tournament: “The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest, most complex set of events in sports history.”
According to FIFA projections, the event could attract six million fans to North American cities and reach six billion viewers worldwide. Trump said the World Cup would generate more than $30 billion for the U.S. economy and create 185,000 jobs.
He also credited the recent 30-day federal takeover of Washington’s police force with ensuring that the capital will be “very safe” for visitors.
Wearing a red cap with the slogan “Trump was right about everything,” Trump also used his meeting with Infantino to touch on a range of domestic and international issues.
