United States President Donald Trump will attend Sunday's FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, the White House has confirmed, marking his first appearance at the tournament with a visit to its showpiece event.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the president's plans during a media briefing on Thursday, describing the tournament as a major success for the United States.
"His attendance will cap what has been the most watched, most secure, and most successful World Cup in American history," Leavitt said.
"This is a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America's ability to host the world on the grandest stage."
Before Sunday's final in New Jersey, Trump is also scheduled to attend a reception hosted by world football governing body FIFA at Trump Tower in New York on Friday.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino had revealed in June that Trump would attend the final and present the trophy to the winning team, although the White House had not officially confirmed the plans until now.
Leavitt added that she was unsure whether the president would be backing Spain or Argentina in the final, following Trump's recent criticism of Spain during last week's NATO summit over the country's stance on the Iran conflict.
Although Trump has yet to attend a World Cup match during the tournament, he has remained a prominent figure in discussions surrounding the competition, with his involvement generating both attention and controversy.
