Trump jokes USA's 4-1 World Cup loss to Belgium was 'rigged, just like 2020 election'

Donald Trump declared ahead of the United States’ World Cup match against Belgium that a US defeat would be ‘rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020’ — and the Americans duly lost 4-1.

Speaking before kick-off, the US president said both nations should be allowed to field their strongest players, describing the prospect of a full-strength contest as ‘an amazing game’. He acknowledged that Belgium would deserve credit for a victory, before adding the punchline that he would claim the result was fixed regardless.

‘If they beat us, then they can be really proud,’ Trump said. ‘The other way, if they beat us, I say it was rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020.’

Trump’s remarks came in the context of his already active involvement in the fixture. He had previously intervened to secure the suspension of a red card shown to US forward Folarin Balogun, a move that drew attention to the unusual degree of presidential engagement with the national team’s World Cup campaign.

The 4-1 scoreline represented a heavy defeat for the United States, who are co-hosting the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, making the tournament’s outcome a matter of particular domestic significance.