The former president Suggests Relocation of 2026 World Cup Matches from Massachusetts, 2028 Olympics from LA

Donald Trump has repeatedly stated he would pressure FIFA to relocate upcoming World Cup matches from a designated city based on the local governance, with Boston becoming the latest urban area to receive such threats from the US president. Additionally, Trump indicated he would evaluate comparable measures against Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Games due to potential security concerns.

Jurisdictional Limits and Informal Leverage

Even though Trump lacks direct legal authority to personally cancel either event, he may exert influence the international organizations managing each tournament to change host cities.

Setting for Statements

The statements were made during a media briefing with Javier Milei, who was visiting the presidential residence following the announcement of a massive financial assistance for the Latin American nation. At the end of the meeting, a media member inquired Trump about a latest unauthorized gathering in Boston where police officers were attacked and a patrol car was ignited. The reporter also questioned if these incidents could cause the loss of tournament responsibilities for the larger World Cup.

“We could take them away,” Trump said about the FIFA World Cup fixtures, scheduled to be hosted at Gillette Stadium. “The city's leader is not good … she’s radical left, and activists are dominating parts of the city. That is a major assertion, right?”

Public Gatherings and Political Context

Street takeovers, a social media-driven phenomenon where groups of people gather on city streets after dark to engage in dangerous driving, have emerged as a repeated issue in metropolitan centers since the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Current similar events have become aggressive in the state, specifically in downtown. However, these events are generally not considered associated with any specific political ideology.

“If a mayor is doing a bad job, and I feel there are dangerous circumstances, I would call the FIFA head, who is outstanding, and suggest let’s move it to another location,” Trump stated on Tuesday. “And he would do that. He may not enjoy doing it, but he’d do it. Without hesitation, he would.”

Organizational Alignment

FIFA President has publicly acknowledged his attempts to be visibly associated with the US leader ahead of the 2026 event, set to be organized in numerous American venues across the America along with several in the northern neighbor and three in the southern neighbor. The organization's leader has appeared at multiple Oval Office functions, had Trump present the club tournament cup after that tournament’s final, and has even rescheduled his FIFA's internal meeting to join Trump on a journey to the Middle East previously.

Past Statements

Despite this, Trump from threatening the removal of soccer events from other US host cities. On September 25, the Washington city and San Francisco were comparable criticism, with Trump stating both urban centers were “led by radical left lunatics who are clueless what they’re doing,” while criticizing the security conditions of both locales and implying that events could be removed.

Official Rebuttal

Victor Montagliani dismissed Trump’s claims when he responded subsequently at a conference in the UK capital.

“This is FIFA’s tournament, FIFA’s jurisdiction, FIFA makes such choices,” the vice-president said. “With all due respect to sitting presidents, soccer is more important than any individual and football will survive their administration and their leadership. That is the beauty of this sport, that it is transcends one leader and bigger than individual states.”

LA Games Warning

Similarly, Trump’s response to a inquiry about Boston extended to a similar threat regarding the upcoming Summer Games.

“When I thought the city was failing to be sufficiently organized, I will move it to a different city if I had to,” Trump stated. “For the Olympics I might have to secure a alternative permission, but we'd take that action.”

Official consent Trump refers to would need to come through the IOC. The president, she, was selected to her position in this year and has yet to appear together with the former president, but she said that she hopes for a sit-down with the US figure at eventually.

Further Comments

He also criticized California governor Newsom’s response of this year’s LA wildfires, stating that a similar situation could cause the cancellation of the event.

“If he refuses to cooperate, we will have to be very tough,” Trump stated.

His statement was similarly direct for the Massachusetts city.

“They must address these issues,” he remarked. “It's my message.”