Day 657 — Sheinbaum Attends World Cup Final in New Jersey on Trump's Invitation; Informal USMCA Talks With Trump and Carney

On July 20, 2026 (Day 657, Sunday), President Sheinbaum attended the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Argentina and Spain at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey — her first in-person appearance at any match of the tournament, despite Mexico having hosted 16 of the 104 games played, including the June 11 opener at Estadio Azteca. She traveled to the United States after accepting a direct invitation from President Trump, confirmed publicly on July 18. On the sidelines of the final, Sheinbaum held informal conversations with Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney touching on the stalled USMCA review, which had missed its July 1 renewal deadline earlier in the month. Sheinbaum said afterward that the exchange allowed the three leaders to informally discuss next steps, and that formal USMCA negotiations would resume in Mexico the following week, with a meeting expected around July 22–23 involving U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The appearance was widely read as a diplomatic gesture aimed at lowering the temperature after weeks of friction over ICE killings of Mexican nationals and U.S. officials' cartel-linkage claims against the Mexican government.