President Donald Trump is not expected to attend the US opening ceremony for the World Cup or the United States’ opening match of the tournament on Friday. Instead, he will remain in Washington D.C. to prepare for the UFC Freedom 250 event taking place at the White House on Sunday.
World Cup Opening Ceremonies Across Host Nations
Mexico, Canada, and the USA will each host their own opening ceremony in the coming days. Shakira and Burna Boy will help raise the curtain tonight ahead of El Tri’s opening game against South Africa at the iconic Azteca Stadium. Alanis Morissette and Michael Bublé are part of the line-up for Canada’s opening ceremony on Friday evening before their match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The US show will take place later that night ahead of their opening match against Paraguay in Los Angeles.
US Delegation Led by Rubio
Paraguay President Santiago Pena will travel to California, but Trump is not currently expected at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Instead, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the official U.S. delegation to the match, as announced by the State Department this week. He will be joined by Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin.
UFC Freedom 250 Takes Priority
While the World Cup takes centre stage this weekend, another major sporting event is happening right in Trump’s front garden. UFC Freedom 250 takes place at the White House on Sunday 14 June, with the Octagon relocated to the South Lawn to stage championship fights on a historic night of MMA action. Trump has a long-standing association with the UFC, having hosted events at his Atlantic City casinos during its early days, and he is close friends with UFC president Dana White.
The event celebrates 250 years of independence for the US, with Sunday also marking Trump’s 80th birthday. The President will have other duties in the lead-up to the UFC event, including walkthroughs starting from Friday, which will keep him in the capital, according to The Athletic.
Other Leaders Also Absent
Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum will also not attend her nation’s opening match against South Africa tonight, having delivered on a promise to give away her ticket. “They are the pride of Mexico. They will not represent the president, or the head of government, they will represent Mexico,” Sheinbaum said at a news conference after handing her ticket to a fan.
World Cup opening ceremony dates and start times:
- Mexico: Thursday 11 June, 6:30pm
- Canada: Friday 12 June, 6:30pm
- USA: Saturday 13 June, 12:30am
