U.S. President Donald Trump has praised the success of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the tournament as the biggest in the competition’s history and calling its record-breaking attendance a “great tribute” to the United States.
In a post shared on his social media platform, Trump wrote:
“The FIFA numbers are far greater than any World Cup in history. This is a great tribute to the United States of America. Thank you to all!”
Trump’s remarks come as the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup continues to shatter previous tournament records. With 48 participating nations, 104 matches, and games hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the tournament has already become the largest FIFA World Cup ever staged.
According to FIFA, attendance figures have surpassed previous editions by a considerable margin, with millions of fans packing stadiums across the three host nations. Analysts attribute the record numbers to the expanded tournament format, larger stadium capacities—particularly in the United States—and unprecedented global interest in the competition.
The United States has hosted the majority of the tournament’s matches, including several knockout fixtures and the upcoming final. Cities such as New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, and Seattle have welcomed hundreds of thousands of international visitors, generating billions of dollars in economic activity through tourism, hospitality, transportation, and retail.
Tourism officials estimate that the World Cup has significantly boosted hotel occupancy, restaurant business, airline travel, and local entertainment industries. Fan festivals held in host cities have also attracted millions of supporters, creating one of the largest sporting celebrations ever organised in North America.
While praising the tournament’s success, Trump credited the United States for helping deliver what he described as an historic sporting spectacle. His comments come amid continued celebrations over the tournament’s commercial success, with FIFA projecting record revenues driven by ticket sales, broadcasting rights, sponsorship agreements, and merchandise.
Sports economists note that although the expanded tournament naturally includes more matches and spectators than previous editions, the event has nevertheless exceeded many early expectations despite concerns over ticket prices and international travel restrictions. Strong fan turnout has reinforced football’s growing popularity in North America and demonstrated the region’s ability to host major global sporting events successfully.
As the tournament approaches its climax, FIFA officials continue to describe the 2026 edition as a landmark event for world football, with record attendance, global television audiences, and commercial revenues expected to set new benchmarks for future World Cups.
