President Trump on Tuesday named Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York Mayor and longtime Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, as head of the White House task force overseeing the 2026 World Cup.
In the position, Mr. Giuliani will manage the world’s biggest soccer stars on U.S. soil next year in an event Mr. Trump compared to “78 Super Bowls.”
Mr. Trump made the announcement on social media ahead of the task force’s first meeting, which took place at the White House.
“During my first term, Andrew served as a Special Assistant to the President and Associate Director of the Office of Public Liaison, playing a key role in creating the system that enabled athletes from around the world to re-enter the United States during the reopening of America in 2020,” Mr. Trump wrote.
In addition, Mr. Trump named Carlos Cordeiro, the former president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, to serve as a senior adviser. Mr. Cordeiro helped the U.S. secure the winning bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and currently serves as a senior adviser to FIFA.
The U.S. will serve as the primary host for the event, with Mexico and Canada also hosting several matches. It will kick off June 11, 2026, and will mark the first time the men’s World Cup has expanded from 32 to 48 teams.
At the meeting Tuesday, Mr. Trump said he did not foresee any tensions with Canada and Mexico. Both nations have bristled at the high tariffs Mr. Trump has imposed on goods they import into the U.S.
Earlier Tuesday, Mr. Trump hosted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House.
Other attendees at the White House roundtable included Vice President J.D. Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, FBI Director Kash Patel, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“Together this group will help plan the biggest, safest and most extraordinary soccer tournament in history,” Mr. Trump said.
The World Cup is expected to bring millions of people from around the world into the U.S. Host cities include Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia and Miami. Toronto, Vancouver and Mexico City are among the cities in Canada and Mexico that will host events.
North America was selected as the host for the 2026 World Cup during Mr. Trump’s first term in 2018.
