The co-hosting arrangements for the FIFA World Cup 2026 were thrown into political uncertainty this week after United States President Donald Trump threatened to relocate matches scheduled for the Boston area, citing safety concerns and criticizing local leadership.
Speaking during a press event, President Trump specifically targeted Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, referring to her as “radical left” and claiming parts of the city were being “taken over.”
The President suggested he could leverage his relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino to move the games if he deemed conditions unsafe.
“We could take them away,” Trump said of the World Cup games, adding that he would call Infantino and say, “‘Let’s move it to another location,’ and they would do that.”
The matches are scheduled to be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston.
However, the President’s authority to unilaterally alter the detailed hosting plan, which was confirmed by FIFA in 2022, remains legally contentious. The 11 U.S. host cities, along with their partners in Mexico and Canada, are contracted directly with FIFA.
FIFA’s Vice President Victor Montagliani previously rebuffed similar threats aimed at other U.S. cities, stating, “It’s FIFA’s tournament, FIFA’s jurisdiction, FIFA makes those decisions.” Despite this, the global soccer body issued a statement noting that safety and security are top priorities and are “obviously the governments’ responsibility.” The statement added, “We hope every one of our 16 Host Cities will be ready to successfully host and fulfill all necessary requirements.”
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has dismissed the President’s threat, asserting that the arrangements are “locked down by contract” and that there is “no real threat” to the city’s hosting duties.
