Trump taps Rudy Giuliani's son to head World Cup task force
President Trump announced Tuesday that Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, will head up the White House task force on the World Cup.
The task force, established in March via executive order, aims to assist in the planning, organization and execution of events surrounding next month's FIFA Club World Cup soccer tournament and the higher-profile 2026 FIFA World Cup — which includes matches in several US cities.
'I am proud to announce the appointment of Andrew Giuliani as the Executive Director of the President's Task Force on the 2026 FIFA World Cup,' Trump wrote on Truth Social.
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3 Andrew will be tasked with coordinating the government agencies in preparation for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the US, Mexico and Canada.
REUTERS
Giuliani, 39, served as a special assistant to the president and associate director of the White House Office of Public Liaison during Trump's first term.
The president noted that during his previous administration, Giuliani played 'a key role in creating the system that enabled athletes from around the World to re-enter the United States during the Reopening of America in 2020.'
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'Additionally, Carlos Cordeiro will serve as Senior Advisor,' Trump announced. 'Carlos is currently Senior Advisor to the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), and was previously the President of the United States Soccer Federation, where he was Chairman of the winning bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.'
'I know Andrew and Carlos will work tirelessly to make the 2026 FIFA World Cup an unprecedented success,' the president added. 'Congratulations Andrew and Carlos!'
Trump attended the task force's first public meeting at the White House Tuesday and vowed the 2026 World Cup will be the 'biggest, safest and most extraordinary soccer tournament in history.'
'We can't wait to welcome soccer fans from all over the globe,' the president added, noting that his youngest son, Barron, is a massive fan of the game.
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3 Andrew's father, Rudy Giuliani, was Trump's former lawyer and is a close associate of the president.
AP
The former New York City mayor's son was thrust into national pop culture as a young child, after late comedian Chris Farley spoofed Andrew in a series of 'Saturday Night Live' skits inspired by the then 7-year-old's antics during his father's 1994 inaugural mayoral speech – which included blowing kisses at television cameras, making faces and yelling.
After four years in the Trump administration, Andrew launched a bid for the New York governorship in 2021 but came up short in the GOP primary, finishing second to current EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, who lost to Gov. Kathy Hochul in the 2022 general election.
3 Trump attended the White House World Cup task force meeting on Tuesday.
AFP via Getty Images
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The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.
Matches will take place in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle and San Francisco from June 11, 2026, through July 19, 2026.
The tournament of the top global soccer powers is projected to draw massive crowds and the White House expects the games to 'significantly' boost local businesses and lead to 'infrastructure development and job creation.'
'2026 World Cup host cities can expect to see up to 450,000 visitors and a potential net economic impact of up to $480 million,' the White House said in a March statement.
The club World Cup kicks off on June 14 – Trump's 79th birthday – and runs through July 13. Matches will be played in twelve US cities.
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