Ester Expósito to attend 2026 World Cup in United States: France staff raises questions

Kylian Mbappé’s partner, Spanish actress Ester Expósito, has indicated she will “probably” travel to the United States to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The statement, made at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival in an interview with Le Parisien, has reportedly not gone unnoticed by France’s team staff.

According to magazine Public, the possible presence of the actress alongside the France captain during the tournament is raising some internal questions, particularly around the issue of potential privileges granted to the French star. “Mbappé is not the type of personality you oppose or challenge. He has a bit of a child star side given how much he is acclaimed. If he has decided something, he will do everything to get it,” a source told the weekly.

Some observers cited by Public draw a parallel with the situation experienced by David Beckham in the early 2000s, when his relationship with Victoria Adams began to concern Sir Alex Ferguson. “It’s the Victoria Beckham effect. When David started dating Posh Spice, Sir Alex Ferguson thought he was less committed, that she was drawing attention to herself at matches and that it would have been better if she had stayed away,” a football expert told the magazine.

In her interview, Ester Expósito also acknowledged her lack of football knowledge: “I don’t know anything about football. I’ve only been to the stadium very few times in my life. At home, nobody watched matches on television. Even though Spain is a great football country and we have the best teams obviously, I don’t have that culture. It’s a world I’m discovering.” The actress clarified that her interest in sport stems partly from a football film in which she is participating.

While the questions reported remain speculative for now, they illustrate the media and institutional pressure surrounding Mbappé as a major tournament approaches. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.