US President Donald Trump Hands Over FIFA World Cup 2026 Trophy and Medals

Kathmandu. US President Donald Trump handed over the World Cup 2026 trophy and medals to Spain on Monday morning in New York. This became a big opportunity for Trump, who had dreamed of bringing the World Cup to America since his first term. However, this competition remained in the news more due to the close relationship between Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino than the game itself. Trump and Infantino's friendship has been growing since 2018. Borrowing Trump's 'MAGA' slogan, Infantino even said, 'We will make the whole world great again, not just America.' Infantino was repeatedly seen from the White House to Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. Although FIFA's rules state that it should stay away from politics, Infantino defended his closeness with Trump, calling it necessary for the success of the World Cup. After Trump did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize, Infantino also gave him the first 'FIFA Peace Prize'. However, this World Cup was not without controversy. Due to Trump's strict immigration policy, more than 25 percent of participating countries' fans did not get visas or were subjected to strict restrictions. Some fans did not even come to watch the game for fear of security crackdowns in the stadium. The biggest controversy on the field was related to US player Folarin Balogun's red card. Balogun was supposed to miss the game against Belgium because he received a red card in the previous match. However, after Trump personally urged Infantino to review the decision, FIFA allowed Balogun to play. This raised serious questions about FIFA's impartiality and the prestige of the competition. According to a survey, 52 percent of Americans said it was wrong for the President to participate in the game in this way. Trump has expressed his desire to host the World Cup in America again in 2038. He even joked that the World Cup could be jointly hosted with China, and the flight between the two countries would be 'fun and short' for the players.