Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum joins Trump at World Cup final VIP suite weeks after slamming expensive tickets

Sheinbaum was photographed alongside Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and FIFA President Gianni Infantino at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The leaders watched as Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time to claim the World Cup trophy. Inside the suite, Sheinbaum stood next to Melania Trump. Other dignitaries at the match included Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, who watched their country secure its second World Cup title.

Her appearance created a striking contrast with the position she had taken earlier in the tournament. Sheinbaum previously said she would not attend any matches as a show of solidarity with Mexicans unable to afford seats, declaring that stadium tickets were “very expensive” and that “very few people” could pay the asking prices. The Guardian reported that tickets in Mexico were averaging about $3,000.

Sheinbaum did not purchase her way into the high-profile gathering, however. She accepted a direct invitation from Trump and said the presence of the leaders of all three host nations carried political significance. “I considered it politically important that the three countries hosting the World Cup are involved,” she said, describing the gathering as a sign of the coordination between Mexico and the United States. Sheinbaum confirmed her attendance shortly before the final, explaining that Trump had personally invited both her and Carney. The occasion brought together the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada, the three countries that jointly hosted the expanded 48-team tournament. “I decided to go because it is a direct invitation from the president of the United States,” Sheinbaum told Mexican media, according to the Associated Press.

Sheinbaum’s decision to attend the final did not necessarily signal a change in her position on ticket affordability. Unlike ordinary spectators facing prices in the thousands, she was present as an invited head of state representing one of the tournament’s three host countries. Still, the visual contrast was difficult to miss: the Mexican leader who had avoided the stands in solidarity with priced-out fans was now watching soccer’s biggest match from one of the stadium’s most exclusive spaces. Beyond the optics, the VIP gathering offered the three North American leaders an opportunity to meet while their governments navigated sensitive negotiations over trade and the future of their trilateral economic relationship. For one afternoon, however, politics shared the spotlight with soccer. Sheinbaum, Trump and Carney stood together above a packed stadium as Spain and Argentina competed below—closing a World Cup hosted across their three countries with a final that was as much a display of diplomacy as it was a global sporting event.