Sheinbaum accepts Trump invite to World Cup final
Mexico’s president says she will attend the New Jersey final with Trump and Canada’s Mark Carney as trade talks loom.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
2 min read
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says she will be in the stands for Sunday’s World Cup final after receiving a direct invitation from President Trump, setting up their first meeting since December.
The match in New Jersey comes with diplomatic heat already on the pitch. Sheinbaum and Trump have spent recent months trading public criticism while also saying their governments will keep working together on security and trade.
Sheinbaum told Mexican media she accepted because the invitation came straight from the U.S. president. She also said Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney would attend and that she would record a message with more details.
The appearance brings all three leaders of the tournament’s host nations into the same World Cup spotlight. The United States, Mexico and Canada are jointly hosting the tournament, the first time the event has been staged across the three North American countries.
Sheinbaum skipped the opening match in Mexico City, where Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0. She gave her ticket to a young Indigenous woman instead, according to her earlier comments.
By Saturday afternoon, FIFA’s website showed the cheapest available tickets for the final at nearly $10,000.
A high-profile reunion
Sheinbaum and Trump last met at the World Cup draw in December. Since then, the U.S.-Mexico relationship has been strained in several areas, including security cooperation and trade.
In May, the State Department said it was starting a review of 53 Mexican consulates in the United States after two CIA officers died during an operation in northern Mexico.
Weeks later, in June, Trump said the United States would not extend the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as USMCA, through 2042. The pact is a central trade deal linking the three economies.
The timing of Sunday’s final adds extra weight to the meeting. U.S. and Mexican officials are scheduled to hold another round of bilateral talks on trade issues two days after the match.
Spain and Argentina play for the title
On the field, defending champion Argentina will face Spain for the trophy in New Jersey. Spain’s King Felipe VI is also expected to attend.
The final will therefore double as a gathering of political and royal guests, with Sheinbaum, Trump, Carney and Felipe all expected at the same event while U.S.-Mexico trade and security disputes remain unresolved.
Sheinbaum has not yet given further details about any planned talks with Trump or Carney around the match. Her public explanation so far is that she decided to attend because the invitation came from the U.S. president.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.