FIFA opens office inside Trump Tower in New York in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.

 FIFA announced on Tuesday the opening of an office inside Trump Tower in New York City, strengthening its presence in the United States one year ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

“FIFA is a global organization, and to be global, it must be local, it must be present everywhere, and that’s why our headquarters must be in New York,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at an event in Manhattan.

“So today we are opening a FIFA office here in Trump Tower.”

FIFA previously relocated its legal department to Miami, where all staff involved in the operational implementation of the Club World Cup currently being held in the United States and the 2026 World Cup are based.

This move strengthens Infantino’s relationship with US President Donald Trump.

Infantino attended Trump’s inauguration earlier this year, appearing alongside the US president in the Oval Office, and joined him on recent visits to Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

"Thank you very much to President Trump as well, he's a huge football fan, along with the whole family," added Infantino, speaking before the start of the Club World Cup semifinal at MetLife Stadium, across the Hudson River from Manhattan, between Brazil's Fluminense and England's Chelsea.

The first edition of the Club World Cup, which featured 32 teams, concludes this weekend, while the World Cup, which concludes in June and July next year, will be the first tournament to feature 48 teams.

The 2026 World Cup will be held in 16 stadiums, including 11 in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada.

The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Infantino continued, "We have received tremendous support from the government and the president... We have also received exceptional support from the local authorities in New York, New Jersey, and all the host cities, and this has certainly contributed to the remarkable success of the Club World Cup so far."

Separately, FIFA announced that the Club World Cup trophy will be on display at Trump Tower from Tuesday to Saturday, the day before the final match scheduled for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.