The last time President Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani attended the same major sporting event, things went fairly smoothly, relatively speaking.
Trump was vociferously booed by New York Knicks fans as he sat in a bulletproof luxury suite at Madison Square Garden during the NBA Finals. His appearance had prompted security changes that led to the cancellation of a watch party outside the arena and forced fans to arrive two hours before the game.
Mamdani, the mayor of New York City, was far less conspicuous, occupying a standing-room-only perch just below the rafters of the arena.
But for Knicks fans, the worst of it came at the final buzzer: That night, the Knicks endured the only loss of their 4-1 series win over the San Antonio Spurs — inviting some to suggest that the politicians’ joint appearance had jinxed the home team.
On Sunday, for the second time in just over a month, the president and the mayor will attend another high-profile sporting event, the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. (Both teams will wear their home jerseys at the neutral-site game, so jinxes may not apply.)
Trump and Mamdani — who have maintained an unlikely relationship despite their political differences — have no plans to meet Sunday, according to the mayor’s spokesperson, Joe Calvello.
The president was expected to attend a FIFA reception at Trump Tower on Friday. Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, said last month that Trump would present the trophy to the winning team, which is in line with past World Cup finals.
“We will be together with the president, enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course, together,” Infantino said then. “We are together all the time.”
Trump’s relationship with Infantino came under scrutiny earlier in the tournament after the president called the FIFA leader and requested that the suspension of Folarin Balogun, a top player for the United States team, be reviewed.
The suspension was rescinded for the game against Belgium, but the U.S. team was still eliminated. The decision by Trump to intervene, and Infantino’s acquiescence, angered many soccer fans.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a briefing Thursday that the World Cup had allowed visitors to the United States to see a more positive image of the country than she believed had been presented by the international news media.
“I think the world saw that this president and this country is able to put on the greatest show in sports in the world, and we are a kind of people, we are hardworking people, and we have the best country on the planet,” she said.
Because of Trump’s attendance, along with that of other world leaders like the prime minister of Spain, the final has been given a Level 1 Special Event Assessment Rating by federal authorities, meaning that it is a “significant event” of national and international importance that requires “extensive federal interagency support.” That could include air security, field intelligence teams and explosive-detecting dogs, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“With multiple heads of state expected to attend, security measures will be significantly enhanced, and road closures should be expected,” said Natalie Hamilton, a spokesperson for the FIFA World Cup New York/New Jersey Host Committee. (Govs. Kathy Hochul of New York and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey will also attend the final.)
Trump has not yet attended a World Cup game; Mamdani was at the first one played in New Jersey, but his interest runs far deeper. A self-described soccer fanatic who roots for Arsenal, he played on a coed recreational soccer team in Brooklyn before his campaign for mayor last year. And he has hovered over the tournament in a different way, injecting a bit of his democratic socialist principles into related activities and speaking lovingly of his admiration for the game and all that it stands for.
The mayor hosted a video segment called “The Morning Pitch” where he talked soccer and weather. Public parks stayed open late for pickup games and were the site of watch parties. The city issued a $50 jersey commemorating the World Cup that quickly sold out, and Mamdani persuaded FIFA to offer 1,000 tickets at $50 apiece.
The mayor has also watched games with New Yorkers at a Mexican restaurant in the South Bronx, a migrant shelter and the Rikers Island jail complex. Like the governors, the mayor will attend the final match Sunday as part of his official duties, with a ticket provided by the host committee.
As for which team each man will be rooting for in the final, that remains unclear.
Asked whether Trump was supporting Argentina because he had recently criticized Spain, Leavitt said she was unsure. Mamdani, who had picked Morocco to win the tournament, declined to make a prediction.
“Everyone I root for has lost,” the mayor said at a news conference. “I feel like whoever I say is going to lose at this point.”
