The FIFA President appears at the “Peace 2025” stage in Egypt
On Monday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino appeared on the “Peace 2025” stage in Egypt.
“We have Gianni,” President Trump said during a Middle East peace ceremony in the coastal resort area of Sharm El Sheikh. “We’re going to the World Cup, I can tell you that.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams and 104 matches in 16 North American cities, including Los Angeles, Seattle, Mexico City, Toronto and Atlanta. In August, Trump announced that the 2028 World Cup draw would be held at the Kennedy Center in December.
Trump created a task force for the 2026 World Cup by executive order in March, calling the event an opportunity to “demonstrate the nation’s pride and hospitality while promoting economic growth and tourism through sports.”
In a Monday post on Instagram, Infantino stated that he “attended the very important peace summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, co-chaired by US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, which aims to establish a new era of regional security and stability.” He also stated that Trump invited him.
He added: “The presence of world leaders from multiple countries and UN delegates, among others, demonstrates a united effort – and I am a firm believer that we all need to work together to build bridges. I am grateful to everyone for supporting peace, with special gratitude to President Putin for inviting me to this summit.”
Last week, he urged Infantino to give Trump’s Gaza peace plan a chance, as some feared the protests could overshadow Israel’s World Cup qualifier against Italy on Tuesday, The Athletic reported. Security measures are expected to be tight during Tuesday’s match.
Earlier this month, pro-Palestinian demonstrators approached the gates of the Italian soccer team’s training center, demanding that the qualifying match against Israel not be held due to the war in Gaza, the Associated Press reported.
On Friday, about 1,000 demonstrators marched to Oslo’s Ulleval Stadium ahead of Norway’s 5-0 win over Israel in a World Cup qualifier to protest the war.
FIFA also recently opened an office in Trump Tower in New York, and Trump said in August that Russian President Vladimir Putin might go to the 2026 World Cup.
