a A new standoff between US President Donald Trump and FIFA comes after the international soccer governing body appeared to back Trump’s comments about potentially moving matches from some of the US host cities for the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA released a statement on Sunday that appeared to justify President Trump’s assertion that the government, not FIFA, is ultimately responsible for the safety of World Cup matches. The move follows President Trump’s threat to cancel the Olympics from cities he deems “unsafe.”
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President Trump threatens to pull games from Boston
President Trump targeted the Massachusetts capital in recent events, claiming he would ask FIFA president Gianni Infantino to change the tournament if conditions on the ground did not meet expectations. The US president turned his attention to the city of Boston and Mayor Michelle Wu on Tuesday during a meeting with Argentine President Javier Millay.
“If I felt that someone was doing a bad job and there was a dangerous situation, I would call Gianni[Infantino]the president of FIFA. He is a phenomenal person. I would say, ‘Let’s move it somewhere else.’ And he would do it. He doesn’t want to do it, but he would do it. He would do it very easily. And now is the best time to do it.”
If I feel that someone is doing something wrong and there is a dangerous situation, I call Gianni (Infantino), the president of FIFA. He’s a phenomenal guy and if you say, “Let’s move somewhere else,” he’ll do it. He doesn’t want to do it, but he does it, and it’s very easy to do. and now is the best time to do it
The remarks quickly made national headlines and caused outrage, as all host city bids for the 2026 Games had already been decided and firmly entrenched as contractual obligations.
FIFA statement raises internal tensions
What really surprised fans wasn’t what President Trump said, but what FIFA said.
After Trump’s comments went viral, FIFA issued a statement reaffirming that security measures are the responsibility of the government, not the organization’s executives.
This position appears to contradict earlier comments made by FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani, who said that only FIFA can change or relocate a host city once it has been officially declared.
The seeming reversal confused organization officials and drew attention as a sign that FIFA was siding with Trump against one of its senior executives.
Boston refutes these claims
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was quick to react, dismissing Trump’s remarks as political theater.
Wu explained to journalists that the city’s Memorandum of Understanding regarding FIFA venues is a legally binding agreement, and any effort to have Boston removed from the World Cup calendar would face immediate litigation.
“Much of it is locked in by contract, and no one can undo it, even if they currently live in the White House. We are in a world for drama, for control, for pushing boundaries…continuing threats…to be issued against individuals and communities who withdraw or refuse to follow a hateful agenda.”
Many of them are locked in by contract, so no one can bring them back, even if they currently live in the White House. We are in a world where for drama, for control, for pushing boundaries… continued intimidation… is issued against individuals and communities who refuse to back down or submit to hateful policies.
Boston is one of 11 U.S. cities chosen to host the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Can President Trump really move the World Cup games?
In fact, President Trump, or any U.S. president, technically cannot do anything to change FIFA’s list of host cities. These venues are selected after a multi-year bidding process and are subject to complex agreements between FIFA and each local hosting committee.
But sports law experts added that with preparations for the 2026 Games already in full throttle, any attempt to move the matches for political reasons would likely be challenged in court, undermine sponsorship deals and cause logistical disruption.
What this means for FIFA and the US
For FIFA, the crisis has highlighted the difficulty of balancing political diplomacy with an image of impartiality. The group threatens that appearing to support Mr. Trump’s cause could alienate officials about its leadership and anger host cities that invested millions in hosting the convention.
As events unfolded, both American organizers and the FIFA board tried to maintain a poker face, but President Trump’s recent comments ensured that the path to the 2026 World Cup was never up for debate.
