Emmanuel Macron to miss World Cup semifinal in Dallas, may fly to New York for final

President Emmanuel Macron confirmed he will not travel to the United States for the France‑Spain World Cup semifinal on 14 July 2026. The presidential agenda on France’s national holiday – a military parade in Paris and a ceremony in Nice commemorating the 2016 terror attack – makes the trip impossible. Macron said he will consider attending the final in New York on 19 July if the French team reaches it.

The decision marks the first time since taking office that Macron will skip a World Cup semifinal, having been present at the 2018 semi‑final in Russia and the 2022 semi‑final in Qatar. France reached the semi‑final by defeating Morocco 2‑0 in the quarter‑finals.

Should France qualify for the final, Macron plans to be in the stands in New York, continuing his tradition of supporting the national team in decisive matches.