President Donald Trump kept the press on pins and needles on Friday morning before finally unveiling an anticipated announcement in the Oval Office, following an extended visit to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
The president was joined by several members of his cabinet, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. He was also joined by FIFA President Giovanni Infantino.
Trump announced that the FIFA World Cup Draw next year will be held in Washington, D.C., at the Kennedy Center, which the president perhaps not-so-facetiously remarked would soon be the “Trump-Kennedy Center” in a few weeks.
The president said the FIFA World Cup was “probably the biggest event in sports” and compared it to several Super Bowl events.
“So exciting for our country,” he said, lauding it as “one of the largest and most complex events.”
The Kennedy Center will give the event a “phenomenal kickoff,” he said, and also highlighted how much safer the city will be ahead of this event, thanks to his federal crackdown on cleaning up the streets.
“Washington, D.C. is a whole different place,” he said. “…People are excited again, they’re going out to restaurants again.”
The president revealed that his visit to the Kennedy Center on Friday morning was focused on meeting contractors, who will be upgrading the building. “It’s got great bones,” Trump said of the structure.
Trump said that FIFA expected six million fans to attend the FIFA World Cup games in 2026. The games are also expected to draw at least six billion viewers worldwide.
“This will drive more than $30 billion into the U.S. economy and create 185,000 American jobs,” Trump said.
Infantino invited President Trump to hold the FIFA World Cup winner’s trophy during Friday’s announcement in the Oval Office. He joked that only “winners” could touch the trophy. “But since you are a winner, you can touch it,” Infantino said.
“Can I keep it?” Trump joked, smiling.
