Focus on the BIG picture.
Monday, Jan 05, 2026
Outside the box.
Trump Says FIFA Gave Him the Original Club World Cup Trophy to Keep at the White House
U.S. President claims the football governing body gifted him the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup trophy, leaving champions with a replica
President Donald Trump has stated that the original trophy for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, a newly designed 24-karat gold-plated award created for the expanded tournament, is in the Oval Office after being given to him by FIFA officials earlier in the year.
Trump said that when FIFA President Gianni Infantino brought the trophy to the White House during a visit in March, he was told he could “have it forever” in the presidential residence, prompting the organisation to provide the tournament winners with a replica instead.
Trump made the comments during a broadcast interview ahead of the Club World Cup final in New Jersey, noting that he had placed the trophy in the Oval Office and that a new version had been made for the winning club.
The move drew widespread attention in the world of sport and politics, as English side Chelsea lifted what was described on the pitch as the tournament’s top prize, though it was a newly made duplicate rather than the original piece now on display in Washington.
The 2025 Club World Cup marked the inaugural edition of the expanded 32-team global competition, and the presence of the original trophy in the White House has sparked discussion among football fans and commentators alike.
Trump also made light-hearted remarks about the sport during the interview, including a joke about issuing an executive order to rename “soccer” as “football” in the United States.
Chelsea’s players appeared visibly surprised during the final’s podium celebration when Trump remained on stage after presenting the trophy, a moment that added to the attention surrounding the episode.
The gesture reflects a broader pattern of high-profile public appearances by the president at international sporting events and his efforts to associate the United States with globally recognised competitions.
While the claim that FIFA effectively gifted the trophy to Trump has circulated widely, the organisation’s own protocols for trophy custody and presentation have not been publicly detailed beyond the president’s remarks.
The original trophy’s current location in the Oval Office underscores the symbolic weight of sport in diplomatic and cultural exchanges as the United States prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Trump said that when FIFA President Gianni Infantino brought the trophy to the White House during a visit in March, he was told he could “have it forever” in the presidential residence, prompting the organisation to provide the tournament winners with a replica instead.
Trump made the comments during a broadcast interview ahead of the Club World Cup final in New Jersey, noting that he had placed the trophy in the Oval Office and that a new version had been made for the winning club.
The move drew widespread attention in the world of sport and politics, as English side Chelsea lifted what was described on the pitch as the tournament’s top prize, though it was a newly made duplicate rather than the original piece now on display in Washington.
The 2025 Club World Cup marked the inaugural edition of the expanded 32-team global competition, and the presence of the original trophy in the White House has sparked discussion among football fans and commentators alike.
Trump also made light-hearted remarks about the sport during the interview, including a joke about issuing an executive order to rename “soccer” as “football” in the United States.
Chelsea’s players appeared visibly surprised during the final’s podium celebration when Trump remained on stage after presenting the trophy, a moment that added to the attention surrounding the episode.
The gesture reflects a broader pattern of high-profile public appearances by the president at international sporting events and his efforts to associate the United States with globally recognised competitions.
While the claim that FIFA effectively gifted the trophy to Trump has circulated widely, the organisation’s own protocols for trophy custody and presentation have not been publicly detailed beyond the president’s remarks.
The original trophy’s current location in the Oval Office underscores the symbolic weight of sport in diplomatic and cultural exchanges as the United States prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
