By Emily Green
MEXICO CITY, July 18 (Reuters) – Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a message on X that she would attend the World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump along with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“I considered it politically important that the three countries hosting the World Cup are involved, and it is also a sign of the strong coordination and collaboration we have with the U.S. government,” Sheinbaum said.
The final World Cup match between Argentina and Spain caps a whirlwind five weeks of soccer games involving 48 teams that kicked off in Mexico City on June 11.
Sheinbaum previously said she would not attend any World Cup game in a show of solidarity with regular Mexicans who could not afford tickets, which ran into the thousands of dollars. Tickets to the World Cup final are topping $10,000, driven by FIFA’s transition to a dynamic pricing model.
The presence of Sheinbaum and Carney at the sporting event also comes amidst tense trade negotiations, as Mexico and Canada seek to convince Trump to extend the trilateral North American trade agreement.
Sheinbaum has a cordial, if tense, relationship with Trump and has gone out of her way to avoid making comments or pushing policies that could anger him. The U.S.-Canada relationship is more volatile, with Carney and Trump regularly trading barbs and tariff threats.
Trade negotiators from the United States and Mexico will convene in Mexico City on Tuesday for a third round of talks aimed at revamping the agreement, with key topics including steel, automotive, agriculture, and electronic payment systems.
(Reporting by Emily Green; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
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