May 21 – United States President Barack Obama will not attend the World Cup, which opens in South Africa on June 11, and will instead by represented by his vice-president Joe Biden.
Biden will attend the US’s opening match of the tournament against England in Rustenberg on June 12, the White House has announced.
Biden, who will be accompanied by his wife Jill, will also represent the US at the opening ceremonies for the World Cup.
FIFA had originally hoped that Obama would attend, which would have provided a huge boost to the US’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.
But Obama is instead travelling to Indonesia and Australia in mid-June, a re-scheduling of his trip there in March that was postponed because of the health care vote.
Obama had been invited to the World Cup last year after meeting FIFA President Sepp Blatter at the White House when they discussed the US bid.