Will Donald Trump break protocol again at the FIFA World Cup trophy ceremony?

Donald Trump has received approval to take part in the FIFA World Cup trophy presentation, mirroring his contentious involvement at last summer's FIFA Club World Cup. At that event, held in the United States, Trump handed the trophy to Chelsea's Reece James but did not leave the stage afterward, instead joining the team’s celebrations.

The United States is hosting most of the matches this summer and previously hosted the Club World Cup where Chelsea secured the title. Despite this breaking the usual protocol of the trophy remaining on a plinth until collected by a player, FIFA reportedly has no objection to Trump potentially repeating this action, according to talkSPORT.

Customarily, FIFA’s protocol requires the trophy to stay on display until a victorious team member retrieves it for the celebration podium. However, sources indicate that FIFA will allow Trump the discretion to either stay with the winning team during the presentation or step aside to watch the ceremony unfold. White House insiders expect Trump to celebrate alongside the champions once more.

Trump has been informed that FIFA intends for him to present the World Cup trophy to the winning team. Representatives from Mexico and Canada are also expected to participate in the closing ceremony, as reported by the Mirror.

Trump’s decision to remain on stage with Chelsea after their victory over PSG last year caused some awkward moments that were widely recorded. After presenting the trophy to James, Trump stayed rather than exiting as is customary.

Chelsea captain Reece James expressed surprise when asked about the incident, saying, "Answering your question, before, they told me that he was going to present the trophy and then exit the stage, and I thought that he was going to exit the stage, but he wanted to stay."

Cole Palmer, who scored twice in the final at MetLife Stadium, also commented: "I knew he was going to be here but I didn't know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy. I was a bit confused, yes."

Trump did not attend the USA’s opening World Cup match at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where the team secured a comfortable victory over Paraguay. White House executive director Andrew Giuliani attributed his absence to a "tight schedule."