Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Friday, July 18, 2026, that she plans to attend the World Cup final scheduled for Sunday, July 20, 2026, after receiving a direct invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump. Sheinbaum told reporters, “I made the decision, yes, to go because, well, it’s a direct invitation from the president of the United States.”

This will be Sheinbaum’s first World Cup match attendance after choosing not to attend any of the 13 games played in Mexico. She had previously given her ticket for the June 11 inaugural match in Mexico City to Yolett Cervantes Cuaquehua, a 21-year-old Indigenous woman and soccer fan.

Sheinbaum will be joined at the final by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, a known soccer enthusiast. Spain’s King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and their daughters Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia are also expected to attend, fulfilling a promise made to the Spanish team. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will accompany them.

In contrast, Argentine President Javier Milei is deliberately skipping the final, citing superstition, and plans to watch the game from home.

Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions persist as Mexico continues to press the United States over the deaths of several Mexicans in U.S. immigration custody. These concerns have been raised through diplomatic channels amid ongoing trade negotiations, with a third round of talks set to begin in Mexico City next week.

Sources