U.S. National Anthem expected to be booed at World Cup final

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Jan 20, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: U.S. President Donald Trump salutes as he and U.S. Vice President JD Vance listen to the performance of the national anthem during their inauguration ceremonies in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. Mandatory Credit: Chip Somodevilla-Pool via Imagn Images

On Sunday afternoon, United States President Donald Trump is set to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, where the United States National Anthem will be played before the match. Given the fans who will be in attendance, it’s widely expected that both Trump and the National Anthem will be booed.

Throughout the tournament, Trump and the United States have been impossible to ignore for a lot of unflattering reasons. And as the World Cup concludes on Sunday with the continued Americanization of the event, Trump’s appearance at the match, and the playing of the American national anthem, it’s widely expected that the fans in attendance will not exactly give a warm reception.

World Cup Controversies​

While both Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino have praised this as a highly successful World Cup, much of the world has not necessarily felt the same way.

Trump and the United States have faced a lot of criticism throughout the tournament, including FIFA’s decision to allow Trump to hand the trophy to the victors following the World Cup Final, the treatment of Iranian players throughout the tournament, the Americanization of the sport with commercials during “hydration breaks,” an extended Super Bowl style halftime show at the final, and gaudy championship rings, and most notably, Trump’s involvement in getting the red card suspension to Folarin Balogun overturned.

The Balogun red card situation sparked such widespread outrage throughout the international soccer community that it sounds like it could ultimately cost Infantino his job.

National Anthem Booed?​

While the United States National Anthem will be played at Sunday’s World Cup Final, as it is typically played before high-profile sporting events in the United States, the reality is that the fans in the stadium are unlikely to want to hear it.

Given that the stadium will be filled with Spain and Argentina fans who have largely been discontent with many aspects of this World Cup, fans are fully expecting Trump and the national anthem to be booed on Sunday.

“Spanish brothers who are going to watch the match in person, before you kill us on the pitch, I ask that we unite to boo when this anthem plays in our final,” an Argentina fan account wrote in a post on X.

“For God’s sake, let everyone boo him,” someone else added.

“If the whole stadium doesn’t boo that anthem from start to finish I’ll be so disappointed,” another fan wrote.

“As an American I’m booing and proudly. This is pathetic. Respect the traditions. This is a trash decision,” someone else added.

“Everyone’s is gonna boo this including Americans lol,” another fan wrote.

“I dont get why we need to listen usa anthem when the usa team is not in the final. I hope everyone will boo the usa anthem,” someone else added.

Of course, this would not be the first time Trump has been booed at a sporting event recently, as he was showered in boos during his appearance at the NBA Finals in Madison Square Garden in support of the New York Knicks. Trump, however, insisted that it was “mostly cheers” despite what everyone else witnessed.

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