Trump Appoints Rudy Giuliani's Son to Lead 2026 FIFA World Cup Task Force
The president also announced that Carlos Cordeiro will serve as a senior adviser to the task force. He is currently a senior adviser to FIFA and was president of the United States Soccer Federation, where he played a major role in securing the United States as a host of the 2026 tournament alongside Canada and Mexico.
'I know Andrew and Carlos will work tirelessly to make the 2026 FIFA World Cup an unprecedented success,' Trump
Trump's announcement was made as he convened the first task force meeting at the White House. Vice President JD Vance, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and FBI Director Kash Patel were also present. Vance is the vice chair of the task force.
'This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase the beauty and the greatness of America, and we can't wait to welcome soccer fans from all over the globe,' Trump said, noting that his son, Barron Trump, is a fan of and plays the sport.
The president said that his administration 'will be working to ensure that these events are safe and successful, and those traveling to America to watch the competition have a seamless experience during every part of their visit.'
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The United States will host 78 of the 104 games in the World Cup, said Infantino. There will be 11 U.S. cities hosting the games including Miami, Boston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, and Seattle. The championship game will be at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
'Soccer is a sport of incredible grace and finesse and beauty,' said Vance.
'These are three things that have nothing to do with politics, and so we're thrilled to have the FIFA World Cup in the United States of America,' he continued. 'I think that you'll see the very best of the United States of America, both in athletic competition, but also in hospitality, something our boss knows quite a bit about.'
Noem pledged to ensure that the World Cup is safe and secure, though she acknowledged it will be a challenge. Duffy said he will work to ensure the airspace around the games is secure.
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