President Santiago Peña travels this Thursday, June 11, to Los Angeles, United States, where he will remain through the 15th on an official agenda that includes a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and attendance at the Albirroja's opening match against the host nation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The trip, formally communicated to the National Congress in compliance with Article 233 of the Constitution, coincides with Paraguay's first World Cup fixture, scheduled for Friday, June 12, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, in the Los Angeles area. The Paraguayan head of state was invited by FIFA President Gianni Infantino to attend the match.
The U.S. State Department confirmed that Rubio will travel to Los Angeles between June 12 and 13 to lead the official American delegation at the game. The delegation will include Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. With this confirmation, the possibility of President Donald Trump attending the sporting event has been ruled out.
Alongside the football commitment, Peña and Rubio will hold a bilateral meeting to advance the strategic partnership between the two countries. The working agenda will focus on three central pillars: regional security, trade and investment, and cooperation on emerging technologies. The meeting falls within the framework of the "Shield of the Americas" program, aimed at combating organized crime.
This marks the fourth official meeting between Peña and Rubio since the Paraguayan president took office in August 2023. The last encounter took place in February of this year, in Washington D.C., during the "Peace Board" summit organized by Trump. According to U.S. government sources, the World Cup represents an opportunity for the Trump administration to project leadership and hospitality before a global audience, coinciding with celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the country's independence.
This is Peña's 67th international trip since the start of his term. The president also has a planned stopover in Panama between June 22 and 24 to participate in the 56th Regular Session of the OAS General Assembly.