During a meeting at the White House with Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, Donald Trump was visibly surprised to learn that Russia was banned from international competitions organized by FIFA and UEFA due to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The meeting, inserted in preparations for the 2026 World Cup-which will take place in the US, Mexico and Canada-was followed by a press conference where it came to spontaneous reaction of the US President.
When asked about the exclusion of Russia from the qualification phases to the tournament, Trump replied, with some perplexity, “I didn’t know that. Is it true?” Still, he said that a sporting event of this magnitude may have a positive impact on the global scenario, stating that the competition could even serve as an incentive for the end of the conflict.
🇺🇸🇷🇺⚽ When asked about Russia’s FIFA ban, Trump says “I didn’t know that,” and expressed support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s hope that Russia could return for the 2026 World Cup in the U.S. once peace in Ukraine is achieved
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