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Trump on North America’s successful 2026 World Cup bid: ‘I worked hard on this’

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June 15, 2018, 8:15 a.m.

Trump on North America’s successful 2026 World Cup bid: ‘I worked hard on this’

President Trump (Win McNamee / Getty Images)
President Trump (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

President Trump said in a tweet Friday that he worked hard on the effort to bring the 2026 World Cup to North America and thanked Bob Kraft, owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots and Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution.

Trump signed letters to FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressing confidence World Cup delegations and fans would be welcomed for the tournament. Although of no legal force, the letters were used in lobbying by the U.S. Soccer Federation and the joint North American bid competed against Morocco’s. The North American bid won 134-65 in voting by FIFA members on Wednesday.

Trump tweeted Friday “Thank you for all of the compliments on getting the World Cup to come to the U.S.A., Mexico and Canada. I worked hard on this, along with a Great Team of talented people. We never fail, and it will be a great World Cup! A special thanks to Bob Kraft for excellent advice.”

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Kraft became honorary chairman of the bid last July, worked to obtain U.S. government support and helped gain the support of federations.

Trump also tweeted about the North American World Cup bid back in April. “It would be a shame if countries that we always support were to lobby against the U.S. bid,” he tweeted. “Why should we be supporting these countries when they don’t support us (including at the United Nations)?”

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