Prince William and Princess of Wales Kate Middleton are unlikely to attend the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States — at least for now — though the door has not been closed entirely, according to a royal insider.
Royal reporter Emily Nash, speaking exclusively to Page Six ahead of her appearance on the live recording of Hello! Magazine’s A Right Royal Podcast, said no formal invitation has yet materialised, making an appearance improbable at this stage.
“There has been a lot of talk about this over the past few months, but no invitation has surfaced so far, so right now I doubt it will happen,” Nash said.
A significant consideration is the physical and emotional toll that overseas travel continues to place on the Princess of Wales, who is still navigating life after her cancer battle. Nash, who accompanied Kate on her Italy tour last month — the Princess’s first international trip since announcing she was in remission — noted that the demands of royal travel abroad are considerable.
She pointed to William’s own words on the subject as particularly revealing.
“As William said himself, these trips take a lot out of you,” Nash recalled. “He said you’re on send and receive the whole time — which I thought was a really interesting way of putting it. You are in a situation where you’re having to give 110 percent of yourself the whole time you’re out there, and you’re being scrutinised at every turn.”
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While a joint visit appears unlikely, Nash believes the calculus could change significantly if England advance to the final, which is scheduled to take place in New Jersey.
As President of the Football Association, William has long been one of England’s most prominent and passionate supporters, with close personal relationships with several members of the squad.
“I think if England would get to the final, then I’d be very surprised if William didn’t attend,” Nash said. “He’s always been hugely supportive of the England team. We know he has close personal friendships with a lot of the players, and he would 100 percent want to be there.”
Nash added that the warmth with which the couple have historically been received in the United States would only add to the appeal of such a visit — particularly given everything Kate has been through.
“We’ve seen the reception that they’ve had in America in the past, and it’s fair to say that it’s always been incredibly warm,” she said. “I think, particularly after everything she’s been through, people would be delighted to see her.”
Nash acknowledged hearing rumours that a June appearance had been tentatively pencilled in, but said she does not expect those plans to materialise. She was careful, however, to leave room for surprise. “But never say never, right?” she noted. All royal overseas travel, she confirmed, must be formally signed off by the Royal Visits Committee.
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The last time William and Kate visited the United States together was in 2022, when they travelled to Boston for the second annual Earthshot Prize Awards. They have not been to New York City since 2014, and the two have never attended a FIFA World Cup together.
William does have World Cup history, however — he attended the 2006 tournament in Germany alongside his brother Prince Harry, where the pair watched England’s quarterfinal against Portugal.