Donald Trump is just getting started with his public backing of FIFA President Gianni Infantino. As Cochrane looks ahead to the 2026 World Cup, he’s been looking forward to the tournament’s thrilling blueprint that includes matches in 11 U.S. cities, two Canadian cities, and three in Mexico. His remarks have led to fears that World Cup matches could be moved from their assigned host cities. These issues especially target Boston’s popular political establishment and its young wokester mayor, Michelle Wu.
Trump has condemned Boston and attacked Wu as “radical left.” He argues the city is in the midst of a coup by radicals. He stated, “Their mayor is not good… she’s radical left, and they’re taking over parts of Boston. That’s a pretty big statement, right?” He is deeply frustrated with state and local politics. He fears they will undermine the safety and convivial environment of World Cup matches.
In yet another troubling sign, Trump additionally said that “Boston had better get their act together.” He noted that recent rallies in Massachusetts, particularly in Boston, have turned violent. He’s worried that, if unchecked, this may put the integrity of the World Cup at risk.
Trump’s attack on Boston is consistent with his previous strikes against other cities such as Seattle and San Francisco. He referred to these cities as “run by radical left lunatics.” He is also extremely passionate about safety. He went on to say, for example, “If somebody is really shirking their duties and I see some unsafe conditions, I would have to call the head of FIFA—this wonderful guy, Gianni Infantino—and say we need to transfer this tournament to another country.”
More importantly, notwithstanding these threats, Trump doesn’t have the legal authority to unilaterally take World Cup games away from U.S. host cities. What he can do is apply pressure on FIFA to reverse its decision-making on the suitability of tournament hosts. Trump implied that his power could move future host locations in response to local political atmospheres. He noted that it would be up to him to contact FIFA if he felt a city was unsuitable to host.
In 2018, Trump blamed California Governor Gavin Newsom for terrible wildfires burning near Los Angeles. At the end of his trip, he posted his impressions on Boston. He continued, “If I ever thought LA was not ready, I would just take it to a different site. I’m willing to make that commitment if so.” Trump’s displeasure extends well outside of Boston. It reflects a broader concern about protection, accountability and political climate in cities hosting such events.
Trump found himself alongside Infantino in Egypt recently at the summit on Gaza. This underscores his very public campaigning to cultivate closer relationships with FIFA hierarchy. The partnership sure seems like a strategic move as they look ahead to the FIFA World Cup™ coming to the region in 2026.
Victor Montagliani, a prominent figure within FIFA, responded to Trump’s assertions about moving games based on local politics by stating, “It’s FIFA’s tournament; FIFA’s jurisdiction; FIFA makes those decisions.” He remarked on the resilience of football against political pressures: “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.”
As tensions mount over the World Cup’s future in U.S. cities marked by political strife, many will be watching closely how Trump’s threats unfold and whether they will have any tangible impact on the tournament’s planning.