US president Donald Trump has confirmed he will attend Sunday’s Fifa Club World Cup final in New Jersey.
The news came a day after Fifa, world football’s governing body, announced it has opened an office in New York’s Trump Tower.
The United States is hosting the first edition of an expanded Club World Cup and will be a co-host for next year’s World Cup, along with Canada and Mexico.
Chelsea will face either Paris St-Germain or Real Madrid in the Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, which will also host next year’s World Cup final.
Trump, who attended the Super Bowl in February, is chair of a taskforce he established to oversee preparations for each tournament.
Fifa already has an office in Miami and having a presence in Trump Tower will strengthen the organisation’s relationship with the US administration.
“We have received such a big support from the government and from the president with the White House taskforce for the Fifa Club World Cup and for the Fifa World Cup next year,” said Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
“Fifa is a global organisation and to be global you have to be local, you have to be everywhere, so we have to be in New York.”
Infantino has assured fans they will be welcomed to the US, despite Trump’s immigration crackdown and a travel ban on 12 countries.
However, Trump is reportedly considering expanding travel restrictions to as many as 36 additional countries., external
Trump has had a greater presence in sport during his second term, becoming the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl and announcing in May that Washington DC will host the 2027 NFL Draft.
Trump has also attended several UFC events, including last month’s showcase in New Jersey, and has said the White House will host a UFC event next year.
source: BBC
