Donald Trump has once again stated he would urge FIFA to relocate upcoming World Cup games from a designated city based on that city's politics, with the Boston region now being the latest urban area to face such threats from the White House. Furthermore, Trump indicated he would evaluate similar action against Southern California for the 2028 Olympics due to possible safety issues.
While Trump lacks direct legal authority to personally cancel either event, he may exert influence the organizing committees overseeing each tournament to shift host cities.
These comments were made during a press event with Argentina's leader Milei, who was visiting the presidential residence following the revelation of a $20 billion rescue package for the Latin American economy. Toward the close of the gathering, a media member asked Trump about a current “street takeover” in downtown Boston where authorities were attacked and a cruiser was burned. The reporter also questioned if these incidents could lead to the removal of tournament responsibilities for the 48-team football competition.
“It's possible to take them away,” the former president remarked about the World Cup games, scheduled to be hosted at Gillette Stadium. “The city's leader is poor … she’s far-left, and activists are dominating parts of Boston. That’s a pretty big claim, don't you think?”
Street takeovers, a social media-driven occurrence where groups of people gather on urban roads after dark to perform stunts, have been a ongoing nuisance in American cities since the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Recent such gatherings have turned violent in Massachusetts, notably in downtown. However, these gatherings are typically not considered tied to any distinct ideological group.
“If a mayor is failing, and I believe exist unsafe conditions, I will call Gianni [Infantino], who is excellent, and suggest let’s move it to another location,” he commented publicly. “He will do that. He wouldn’t love doing it, but he’d do it. Readily, he would.”
The organization's head has publicly acknowledged his strategies to be visibly associated with the US leader before the 2026 event, set to be organized in numerous American venues across the America along with several in Canada and a few in the southern neighbor. The organization's leader has appeared at various presidential events, facilitated Trump present the FIFA club award after the championship match, and has even rescheduled his the group's assembly to accompany Trump on a visit to the Arab region previously.
Despite this, Trump from suggesting the relocation of World Cup games from other US host cities. On September 25, the Washington city and the Bay Area metropolis faced similar criticism, with Trump asserting both locations were “led by ideological activists who don’t know what they're managing,” while criticizing the public safety of both locales and suggesting that events could be shifted.
The organization's deputy Montagliani dismissed Trump’s claims when he commented afterward at a event in the UK capital.
“It’s FIFA’s tournament, FIFA’s jurisdiction, the organization determines such choices,” he said. “Respectfully to current world leaders, the sport is bigger than political figures and soccer will outlast their tenure and their policies. That’s the beauty of this sport, that it is transcends one leader and beyond any country.”
During the event, Trump’s response to a inquiry about the Massachusetts city veered into a comparable warning regarding the upcoming Summer Games.
“When I believed Los Angeles was not going to be prepared properly, I'd relocate it to another location if necessary,” he said. “For the Olympics I might have to obtain a varying consent, but we would do that.”
Any approval Trump alluded to would have to come from the Olympic governing body. The president, Kirsty Coventry, was elected to her role in spring and has yet to meet publicly with Trump, though she stated that she would like a discussion with him at some point.
Trump also criticized California governor Newsom’s management of the California fires, remarking that a comparable scenario could result in the cancellation of the Olympics.
“If the governor is uncooperative, we’re gonna have to be strict,” the former president stated.
The warning was equally unambiguous for the Massachusetts city.
“Boston must improve their situation,” Trump stated. “It's my message.”
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