Donald Trump joked that Fifa president Gianni Infantino has approached him about the possibility of the US and China co-hosting a World Cup in the future.
The comment was among a number from President Trump about football at a Fifa World Cup reception in New York on Friday ahead of Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain.
The US president hailed the World Cup, also played in Mexico and Canada, as “the most successful sporting event perhaps in the history of the world” and suggested that the US should host another tournament in the future but without the co-hosts.
He also took a gentle swipe at England coach Thomas Tuchel’s decision to adopt defensive tactics against Argentina and praised Infantino for intervening to help lift a red card suspension for US player Folarin Balogun.
The US hosted 78 of the 104 matches in the World Cup, including all 12 matches from the quarter-finals on.
“You should choose the United States of America again,” Trump said at the reception inside Trump Tower. “This time, we will leave Canada and Mexico out.”