World Cup 2026: Trump Threatens to Move Matches from America
In surprising statements that sparked widespread controversy, U.S. President Donald Trump hinted at the possibility of moving some World Cup 2026 matches from the host American cities if "the security conditions are not suitable," according to him.
In his remarks from the White House, Trump confirmed that he would ask FIFA President (FIFA) Gianni Infantino to support the move to relocate the matches if he felt there were security risks in any of the concerned cities. He said:
"If one of the cities performs poorly, or I feel unsafe, I will reach out to Gianni, who is an exceptional person, and I will say to him: let's move it to another place. He will do that very easily."
Trump's statements come after he indicated last September the possibility of moving the matches as part of an election campaign in which he criticized cities run by Democrats, which some considered a political use of a global sporting event.
For its part, FIFA confirmed at the time that determining the locations for the tournament matches is the prerogative of the governing body of football, without political interference.
* Threat to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics as well!
Trump's statements did not stop at the World Cup but extended to the 2028 Summer Olympics, scheduled to be held in Los Angeles, where he said:
"I can say the same thing about the Olympics. If I feel that Los Angeles will not be ready as it should be, I will move it to another place."
* Match Details:
• Boston will host 7 matches of the World Cup 2026
• San Francisco and Seattle will each host 6 matches
• Los Angeles will host 8 matches
The United States is preparing to host the majority of the World Cup 2026, in partnership with Canada and Mexico, in an expanded version for the first time in the tournament's history, featuring 48 teams instead of 32.
* Background of the Event:
Trump's statements come amid a heated election campaign, through which he is trying to emphasize his security priorities and hold Democrats responsible for what he describes as the "mismanagement" of some major cities, a step that could increase tension between politics and sports.
