Pedro Sanchez will attend Sunday’s 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina in New York after making a last-minute U-turn, but his wife, Begoña Gomez, is not expected to join him.
The Spanish Prime Minister had originally been due to miss the match because of an official visit to Algeria on Monday, July 20.
However, the government confirmed on Friday that he will now travel to the MetLife Stadium for one of the biggest sporting events of the year.
While Sanchez will be in New York, Gomez is not expected to attend, despite a Madrid appeals court ordering this week that her passport be returned after lifting the travel restrictions imposed on her.
The court ruled there was no longer sufficient evidence of a genuine flight risk to justify banning her from leaving Spain, surrendering her passport or requiring her to report to court every two weeks.
However, Gomez is still set to face a jury trial over an alleged offence of misusing public funds linked to a university software project developed through a publicly funded chair she directed.
The appeals court at the same time dismissed a separate allegation of influence peddling against her.
Instead of his wife, Sanchez will be accompanied by Education, Vocational Training and Sports Minister Milagros Tolon.
Spain’s official delegation will be led by King Felipe VI, who will attend alongside Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia.
The final is also expected to attract some of the world’s most powerful political figures, including US President Donald Trump, whose presence alongside Sanchez is likely to draw attention given the tensions that have marked relations between the two leaders in recent years.
Trump will also play an unprecedented role in the trophy presentation.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed that he and Trump will jointly present the World Cup after the final whistle.
Another notable absentee will be Argentine President Javier Milei, who has said he will watch the match from the presidential residence in Buenos Aires.
Asked why he would not travel to New York, Milei said he had watched every Argentina match from the same place and did not want to break what he described as his lucky ritual.
