The relationship between FIFA and the Trump administration will take center stage today as the U.S. President attends the final between Chelsea and PSG. Security measures will be significantly heightened, with FIFA and law enforcement urging fans to arrive at MetLife Stadium three hours before kickoff, which is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. Attendees can expect stricter checks and screenings than at any previous match in the tournament.
Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump have maintained a close working relationship, with both collaborating to bring the Club World Cup to the United States, and to prepare the country as one of three co-hosts of next year’s expanded men’s World Cup. Infantino confirmed the President’s presence during a media event at, of course, Trump Tower in Manhattan:
“The first time I visited the White House, I looked out the window and there was a soccer goal in the garden. Trump told me he enjoys the sport, as do his partner and children. He’s the President of the host country and one of the main backers of both World Cups. He immediately understood the significance of both tournaments, creating task forces he personally oversees. We’re talking about events with tens of thousands of fans and over 8,000 people working around them. I want to thank the government and the states. It will be fantastic to have him there.”
A colossal stage for the Club World Cup
The heart of this intersection between sport and politics will be MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, though FIFA has officially labeled the location as “New York/New Jersey,” since all teams and fans are staying in Manhattan.
With a capacity of 82,566, the stadium will be buzzing again, just as it was for the semifinals. Fluminense vs. Chelsea drew 70,566 fans, and PSG vs. Real Madrid brought in 77,542, crowds on par with what the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets usually attract.
Opened in 2010 at a cost of €1.37 billion, MetLife has been adapted for soccer during the Club World Cup, although some features of the NFL remain unchanged. Among them: the massive locker rooms, far larger than typical European football facilities.
“Teams have access to everything. If they want extra equipment or catering, they pay out of pocket. We’ve also organized team entrances one by one—something the players have actually liked,” said Luis Castro, FIFA’s match director at MetLife.
Infantino has faced criticism during the tournament, particularly over the qualification system that allowed weaker teams like Auckland City—who lost 10–0 to Bayern—to participate, while champions from the Premier League, LaLiga, or Serie A were left out.
“Several major clubs contacted us asking how they could get in, especially once a spot opened up. Of course we’d love to have United, Liverpool, Barcelona, Tottenham… but there are criteria, and you have to qualify.”
By the numbers
The Club World Cup has drawn an average attendance of over 40,000 per match—“more than any European league,” according to FIFA—and has far exceeded financial expectations.
“We generated over $1.78 billion in revenue. That’s $26 million per match. No other club tournament comes close,” Infantino said.
Ronaldo Nazário, sitting alongside the FIFA president, took a jab at critics:
“I only hear two people complaining about the Club World Cup. One hates everything except LaLiga…”—a thinly veiled swipe at LaLiga boss Javier Tebas. He also referenced Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp: “The other… we respect his opinion, but it doesn’t reflect what we’re seeing from the fans—their enthusiasm, the quality of the matches, the success of this competition.”
Today, FIFA’s entourage of football legends will gather for the final, wrapping up a month-long stay in the U.S. And with Trump in the stands, the spotlight will be as much political as it is sporting.
Trump, quite literally, is footing the bill for the party.
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