Stoichkov and Georgi Ivanov Attend Trump Reception

Hristo Stoichkov, Bulgaria's sole Ballon d'Or winner, and Georgi Ivanov, President of the Bulgarian Football Union, attended a key event related to the 2026 World Cup. This special four-hour forum, hosted by Donald Trump himself, took place at Trump Tower in New York.

Stoichkov participated in the event as a FIFA ambassador, with the global football governing body officially represented by its head, Gianni Infantino, alongside other football legends. Georgi Ivanov's presence at the Trump-organized forum was due to invitations extended to all presidents of football federations present in North America for the upcoming 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain.

During the forum at Trump Tower, it was confirmed that Donald Trump would be in the VIP boxes at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, seated next to Gianni Infantino, and would later present the World Cup trophy to the winners. He expressed his intention for the Argentina vs. Spain match not to be the last World Cup game held in the USA, hoping for another World Cup on American soil soon, this time co-hosting not with Mexico and Canada, but with a different nation.

“It turns out we are a football-crazy country. I suggested the United States have another chance to host the tournament, but this time we'll skip Mexico and Canada. We'll bring in another country. Gianni suggested China – it’s a short flight, the players would love it. This really united the world. The 2026 FIFA World Cup broke almost every possible record. It’s the biggest World Cup ever, hosting 16 more teams… it’s like having many Super Bowls at once!” Trump commented during his address at the forum.

Meanwhile, two more matches remain in the tournament, with the first kicking off tonight at midnight Bulgarian time. France and England will battle for third place. This match, along with all 104 games of the 2026 World Cup across the USA, Canada, and Mexico, can be watched live on bnt.sportal.bg.