Von der Leyen Declines Invitation to World Cup Final

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will not attend the World Cup final, in which Spain and Argentina will face off on Sunday. Although she received an official invitation, she declined it for work-related reasons, according to her spokesperson, as reported by Politico.

US President Donald Trump, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VI are all expected to attend the match in New Jersey, which could have provided an opportunity for an informal meeting with Trump.

Argentine President Javier Milei is also expected to be absent. According to media reports, he watches his national team's matches at home out of superstition.

In recent days, von der Leyen visited Kyiv and attended France's national holiday celebrations in Paris. On Monday, she is scheduled to meet with former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi to discuss Europe's competitiveness.

(mja)