Sánchez and Trump meet at World Cup final after nearly 2 years of tensions

After nearly two years of public tensions and failed attempts to improve relations, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and US President Donald Trump came face to face on Sunday at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey, Euronews writes.

The two leaders were seated in the VIP section at MetLife Stadium, where Spain faced Argentina. Spain’s King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and Princesses Leonor and Sofía also attended the match.

The brief encounter comes after months of friction between Washington and Madrid over defense spending. Relations have eased in recent weeks, however, after Trump said Spain had agreed to a substantial increase in its NATO defense commitments at last month’s summit in Ankara.

The relationship has also been strained by differences over the war in Gaza. Spain has described Israel’s military campaign as a genocide, a characterization rejected by the United States.

Tensions deepened further after the conflict between the United States and Iran. Madrid invoked its bilateral defense agreement with Washington to prohibit the use of the US military bases at Rota and Morón for operations linked to the conflict.