Following a month-long government shutdown, Donald Trump has shifted his attention has diverted his attention to a massive revenue source that America is scheduled to gain. It is none other than the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which will return to the US in the summer of 2026. The 79-year-old, a keen observer of the sport, recently expressed his interest in the grand game ahead while speaking with the World Cup Task Force at the White House. FIFA President Gianni Infantino was also present on occasion.
President Trump had previously spoken about his willingness to be more involved in the preparation and logistics for the World Cup ahead. But this time, after learning about the projected $30 billion in revenue that the tournament is expected to fetch for America, he jumped right in to negotiate more.
In a media clip, Trump is seen reading through the statement as he iterates, “The World Cup will also be an incredibly significant economic opportunity for countless American workers and businesses. It’s expected to drive more than $30 billion. Gianni, I don’t know about that! That sounds like a lot of money? Are you sure?”
🚨 LOL! President Trump has the FIFA people cracking up in the Oval Office right now 🤣
“[World Cup] will drive more than – $30 BILLION DOLLARS, Gianni? I don’t know about that! That sounds like a LOT of money!”
“How much does the country get out of that? 20%? Like, a… pic.twitter.com/51XpkexFpo
— RightLine (@RightLineNews) November 17, 2025
Naturally, given the intense curiosity of Donald Trump on the subject matter, FIFA President Gianni responded with nervous laughter as he remarked, “It’s true! 100 percent.” In response, DT attempted to negotiate a deal that would boost America’s profits. He said, “How much does the country get out of that? 20%? Do we get like a percentage of the gross?” Evidently, everyone in the room, including Gianni himself, broke into another round of nervous laughter.
Later, the FIFA President assured Donald Trump about the viewer turnout for the World Cup 2026. According to Infantino, the tournament is expected to attract 5-10 million people to America to watch the match. He also claimed that around 2 million tickets had already been purchased. The US President was also made aware of the launch of FIFA Pass, meant exclusively for international fans.
This Pass is a programme offering a streamlined process for international fans to secure visas and book tickets to watch the FIFA World Cup. Signaling a significant new venture for the U.S. ahead of the upcoming tournament, Gianni said, “You are the number one country in the world, the United States of America, Mr. President. You have to be the number one country, as well, in the number one sport.”
Smart move, but let’s be honest, a ‘FIFA Pass’ won’t magically open borders. It just means less time waiting, not guaranteed approval. If you’re planning to be in the US for 2026, better start that visa process NOW before the rush hits.”l
— Lady_Victoria (@LadyVictoria21) November 18, 2025
Offering more clarity on this special pass, Donald Trump mentioned that US embassies will prioritize visa appointments for travelers with tickets to the FIFA World Cup 2026. They will be able to skip long queues and will be quickly assigned a prioritized interview.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was quick to warn that expedited visa processing for World Cup fans would not mean a lackadaisical approach to their screening. In his words, “Your ticket is not a visa; it doesn’t guarantee admission to the US. We’re going to do the same vetting as anyone else would. The only difference here is we’re moving them up in the queue.”
For the unversed, the FIFA World Cup is tentatively scheduled to kick off on June 11 and run through mid-July. In its 23rd year, the tournament will be jointly hosted by 16 cities across three countries in North America. Canada and Mexico will also co-host the matches, along with the United States of America. The upcoming season will be the first to include 48 teams, up from 32 previously.
