FIFA President Gianni Infantino has declared the FIFA World Cup 2026 the greatest sporting and cultural event in human history, speaking at a White House reception held at Trump Tower in New York.

Addressing FIFA Council members, representatives of Member Associations, and a number of FIFA Legends, Infantino described the tournament in sweeping terms. "This has not just been the greatest FIFA World Cup of all time — it is the greatest human, social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed," he said, directing his thanks toward U.S. President Donald Trump.

Infantino painted a vivid picture of the tournament's reach. "Full stadiums, seven million people in the stadiums, tens of millions in the cities in America, in Canada, in Mexico, billions in front of their TV," he said, speaking ahead of Sunday's final between Argentina and Spain at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Record-breaking attendance

Total attendance across the tournament has reached 6,665,825 — already surpassing the combined figures from the 2018 and 2022 editions (6,436,020) and smashing the previous single-tournament record of 3,587,538 set at USA 1994. The average attendance per match stands at 65,351, with a stadium occupancy rate of 99.7 percent, the highest ever recorded at a FIFA World Cup.

Trump calls it 'a tournament like no other'

President Trump matched Infantino's enthusiasm at the reception. "This has been the most successful sporting event, maybe in the history of the world," Trump said. "This has been a tournament like no other, filled with fierce competition, unforgettable moments. This has really brought the world together."

Trump also highlighted the scale of the expanded competition, which welcomed 16 additional teams compared to previous editions. "By the time the final whistle sounds on Sunday, nearly six billion television viewers will have watched this World Cup — that's a record by many, many times over," he added, before wishing Argentina and Spain good luck ahead of the final.

One last weekend of football

Before the showpiece final, France face England in the bronze medal match in Miami on Saturday. Infantino offered a philosophical close to his remarks at the reception. "One country will be the world champion, but the world has already won," he said. "America has won, FIFA has won — and uniting the world in such a way as we did this summer, giving unforgettable experiences and memories to billions of people all over the world, is something that we will take with us and cherish forever."