US President Donald Trump will not attend the first World Cup match to be held in the US between the USA and Paraguay on Friday in Los Angeles.
It’s a notable absence as the United States begins its role as co-host of the world’s biggest sporting event.
Paraguayan President Santiago Pena announced on Wednesday that he would travel to watch the match.
Instead, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the official U.S. delegation to the match, the State Department announced.
The decision comes as the administration is grappling with a number of diplomatic and logistical challenges related to the tournament, including visa issues affecting several participating countries and delegations.
Trump has repeatedly described the World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games as important international events taking place during his presidency, describing them as opportunities to demonstrate American strength.
