When the United States co-hosts a World Cup in 2026, one might expect the American president to at least feign interest. Yet Donald Trump’s conspicuous absence from this year’s tournament – he is the first US leader in decades not to attend a World Cup match – has left British diplomats and fans alike wondering whether the White House has any time for global sport. The question is not merely about football, but about cultural diplomacy: the soft power that comes from sharing a pitch with nations large and small.
By staying away, Trump has signalled that the United States, for all its hosting ambitions, may not be a player in the game of international goodwill. For the Brits gathered in fan zones from Manchester to Milton Keynes, the message is clear: when the world plays, the most powerful man on earth would rather watch from home.
