2026 World Cup: Pope Leo reveals the team he is supporting in rare football admission
By Reuters, June 6, 2026Pope Leo XIV may have traded his life in Chicago for the ornate apartments at the Vatican’s apostolic palace, but he still plans to root for his old national team at the World Cup this month.
Leo, the first U.S. leader of the global Catholic Church, told a journalist aboard his flight from Rome to Madrid on Saturday that he will be supporting the U.S. soccer team when the 48-team tournament starts on Thursday.
“I would certainly support the U.S.,” said the pontiff. “I don’t know how many games I’ll be able to see, but I wish them all the best.”
The U.S., which is co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico, will play Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey in Group D.
Leo, originally from a South Chicago suburb, served as a missionary and bishop in Peru for decades before becoming pope. He said in an interview last year he would root for Peru over the U.S. in any soccer match-ups.
Peru failed to qualify for this year’s tournament, opening up a papal blessing for the U.S. team.
The pope, who is on a week-long tour of Spain and the Canary Islands, also revealed a firm preference on Saturday between bitter Spanish soccer rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Asked by another journalist which of those teams he roots for, Leo, born Robert Prevost, paused briefly. “The pope is for all teams,” he responded. “Prevost is for Real Madrid.”
This comes as the participating team has been finalising preparations for the tournament in North America with friendly games across the world.
On Saturday, the Belgian national team ran out 5-0 winners over Tunisia in one-sided action in Brussels. The Red Devils produced a masterpiece of an attacking display to outsmart Tunisia in what was their international friendly match before the World Cup kickoff on Thursday, May 11, 2026.
Goals from Leandro Trossard and Charles De Ketelaere set the Belgians on the course to the win, with Kevin De Bruyne, Dodi Lukebakio, and Nicola Raskin adding further goals to seal the resounding finale to their World Cup preparations.
Tunisia was reduced to 10 men in the 62nd minute after Ismaël Gharbi received a second yellow card.