US President Donald Trump and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez are scheduled for an anticipated, potentially awkward, encounter at the World Cup final this Sunday. The high-profile sporting event in New Jersey will see the two leaders in attendance amidst persistent diplomatic friction between their nations, primarily concerning defence spending and Spain's approach to the conflict with Iran.
Mr Sanchez's office confirmed his attendance at the championship match, where President Trump could be involved in presenting the trophy to the winning team. Spain is set to face Lionel Messi's Argentina in the final, having secured their place with a 2-0 victory over France on Tuesday. Argentina, the defending champions, beat England 2-1 on Wednesday to reach the final.
The relationship between Mr Trump and Mr Sanchez has been notably strained by the US President's repeated criticisms of Spain's failure to meet NATO's target of allocating 5% of its GDP to defence. These criticisms have, at times, been accompanied by threats of trade reprisals. Earlier this month, during the NATO summit in Ankara, Mr Trump reportedly instructed advisers to "cut off all trade with Spain, including visits," though he later adopted a more conciliatory tone, acknowledging Spain had been "very generous" with payment requests. Madrid interpreted this as an acceptance of their compliance with an agreed 2% GDP defence spending target.
Further complicating diplomatic ties, Mr Sanchez's administration drew the ire of the Trump government earlier this year by declining the use of Spanish military bases and airspace during a US attack on Iran. At the time, Mr Sanchez reiterated Spain's commitment to fostering strong relations with its allies, noting that an informal conversation with Mr Trump at the summit was friendly and focused on topics such as the World Cup.
Despite the current tensions, Mr Sanchez has frequently visited the United States during his premiership, primarily for UN General Assembly meetings in New York. He also held bilateral discussions with Joe Biden in Washington in 2023. The Spanish royal family, including King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor, and Infanta Sofia, have also confirmed their attendance at Sunday's final, where Spain will be hoping to secure their second World Cup title, following their triumph in 2010.