The organizers of the 2026 World Cup concede that the U.S. government has the authority to move matches for safety and security reasons before next summer’s tournament. FIFA’s statement is in response to the latest comments from President Donald Trump and contradicts earlier comments from top soccer officials.
What prompted FIFA to comment on moving matches?
Trump has previously talked about moving World Cup matches away from what he called “dangerous” cities, using Seattle and San Francisco as examples. He was asked on Tuesday about recent protests in Boston and reiterated his point about moving matches, saying he would just make a call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
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“If somebody’s doing a bad job, and if I feel there’s unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni, the head of FIFA, who’s phenomenal, and I would say, ‘Let’s move it to another location,’ and he would do that.” Trump said. “He wouldn’t love to do it, but he’d do it, very easily, he’d do it. And this is the right time to do it.”
FIFA responded to multiple media outlets with a statement, “Safety and security are the top priorities at all FIFA events worldwide,” a FIFA spokesperson said. “Safety and security are obviously the government’s responsibility, and they decide what is in the best interest for public safety. We hope every one of our 16 host cities will be ready to successfully host and fulfill all necessary requirements.”
The statement contradicts earlier comments from FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani, who pushed back on Trump’s initial comments about “unsafe” cities in September.
“FIFA makes those decisions.” Montagliani said. “With all due respect to current world leaders, football is bigger than them and football will survive their regime and their government and their slogans.”
What is Boston’s response?
Boston is currently set to host seven World Cup matches next summer. The slate includes five group-stage games, one Round of 32 fixture and the first quarterfinal scheduled for Thursday, July 9.
Mayor Michelle Wu responded to Trump’s remarks on the “Java with Jimmy” podcast on Wednesday, saying the city is ready to welcome fans from around the world and explained that preparations for the tournament have been ongoing for years.
“Much of it is locked down by contract so that no single person, even if they live in the White House currently, can undo it,” Wu said. “We’re in a world where, for drama, for control, for pushing the boundaries, ongoing threats are issued to individuals and communities who refuse to back down and comply or be obedient to a hateful agenda.“
Is there time to move matches?
The World Cup begins June 11, 2026, with a record 48 countries competing in a total of 104 matches. The tournament final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
There has been no mention of how organizers would move any of the 78 matches that will be held in the U.S., or if any backup sites have been chosen. FIFA told ESPN they have no reason to believe there are issues with any of the 16 host cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
More than 1 million tickets have been sold for the World Cup, FIFA announced on Thursday. It’s the first update on ticket numbers since the official start of sales began in early October. FIFA said people from 212 different countries and territories have bought tickets so far.
