Donald Trump brutally booed at World Cup final as Spain and Argentina fans unite

Donald Trump was booed by fans at the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium just seconds after the national anthem

Andrew Gamble Senior Sports Writer and Matty Hewitt Senior Sport Central Audience Writer

20:45, 19 Jul 2026Updated 20:46, 19 Jul 2026

[U.S. President Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino]

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U.S. President Donald Trump was booed by fans inside the Met Life Stadium at the World Cup final(Image: (Photo by Eva Marie Uzcategui - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images))

Argentina and Spain fans made their feelings about Donald Trump crystal clear in booing the United States president when he appeared on the big screen at the World Cup Final. Trump had not attended the World Cup until the final, which caused a major headache for those attending the game.

Federal agents, local law enforcement and private security firms had reportedly been mapping out Sunday's security operation for approximately two years, expecting the president to attend the tournament's showpiece event. However, technical problems meant scores of spectators and members of the media faced long delays getting into MetLife Stadium as measures were put in place following Trump's decision to attend.

This, combined with his involvement with FIFA and Folarin Balogun's red card suspension being overturned, resulted in a mixed reception.

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Shortly before kick-off, just seconds after the national anthem concluded, Trump appeared on the giant screens inside MetLife Stadium.

The cheers that had accompanied the anthem quickly gave way to a chorus of boos, whistles, and jeers directed at the president, who had arrived via the Marine One helicopter and made a dramatic flyover of MetLife Stadium before the match got under way.

Trump had been keen to avoid a repeat of his viral New York Knicks moment, while security teams left absolutely nothing to chance. F-16 fighter jets, military marksmen, and thousands of FBI agents were deployed to safeguard MetLife Stadium and the surrounding airspace.

The match has been designated a "Level 1" special event - the highest security classification in the US - putting it on a par with presidential inaugurations and State of the Union addresses.

[United States President Donald Trump]

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United States President Donald Trump was booed(Image: Getty Images)

A strictly enforced no-fly zone will cover the New York and New Jersey area from Friday through to Sunday's World Cup final, with snipers stationed on stadium rooftops and a heavily fortified perimeter set to cause considerable delays for supporters.

Once the final whistle blows and either Spain or Argentina are crowned champions, Trump is expected to hand over the iconic World Cup trophy to the victorious captain alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

The 80-year-old was part of the celebrations when Chelsea lifted the trophy after beating Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup Final last summer.

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Trump and Infantino have cultivated a remarkably close bond - unlike anything previously witnessed between a FIFA president and a world leader - which culminated in the extraordinary inaugural awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize last December at the World Cup draw.

Ahead of the World Cup Final, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the sheer scale of the security operation, framing Trump's attendance as the crowning moment of the entire tournament.

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"His attendance will cap what has been the most watched, most secure and most successful World Cup in American history," Leavitt said.

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