Spain Omits Donald Trump From World Cup Celebration Photos

Forty-eight teams started the 2026 World Cup aiming to be on stage at MetLife Stadium by Sunday night. Ultimately, it was Spain that lifted the trophy.

During the presentation of the trophy, both FIFA president Gianni Infantino and U.S. president Donald Trump were present beside the podium as Spain marked its success after a month-long tournament.

Many photos captured the moment including Infantino and Trump. Yet, on Spain’s social media channels, only images featuring the team were shared, with no sign of either the FIFA president or the U.S. president.

The Trophy Presentation and Social Media Choices

On Sunday night, Trump and Infantino handed Spain their World Cup trophy. Trump lingered on stage a little longer to congratulate players once the trophy had been passed over.

Infantino then approached Trump, guiding him off to the side so the team could celebrate lifting the trophy unaccompanied.

Photos from the event do show Trump on stage with the winning squad, but Spain's official final photo posted online focused solely on their celebration without Trump or Infantino present.

🙌🏼🏆 LOS SUEÑOS SE CUMPLEN.#VamosEspaña | #CopaMundialFIFATwitter post by @SEFutbol

Why Was Donald Trump Part of the Trophy Ceremony?

Trump attended the final partly because the United States was one of the three host nations for the 2026 World Cup. The U.S. hosted many of the later-stage matches, marking its first time hosting since 1994.

Usually, the trophy presentation is led by a player from the winning team rather than a head of state. In this case, Trump's friendship with Infantino and his known interest in sports helped secure his role in the ceremony.

Much like how Qatar’s leader took part in the 2022 World Cup final celebrations, Trump was given a moment during the 2026 trophy presentation to represent the host nation.