FIFA has confirmed that the U.S. government has the right to determine whether cities are safe to host World Cup matches, following President Donald Trump’s threat to remove the Boston area from the 2026 tournament schedule.
Speaking at the White House, Trump intensified his criticism of what he called rising crime in Democrat-run cities, claiming he could also strip California of hosting rights for the FIFA World Cup next year and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, a close ally of Trump who attended the U.S. president’s Gaza peace summit in Egypt this week, has not pushed back on his interventions.
In a statement to Sky News, FIFA said:
“Safety and security are the top priorities at all FIFA events worldwide. Safety and security are obviously the governments’ responsibility, and they decide what is in the best interest for public safety.
The governing body added:
“We hope every one of our 16 host cities will be ready to successfully host and fulfill all necessary requirements.”
Boston itself will not host matches, but the nearby Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, home to the New England Patriots, is scheduled to stage seven fixtures.
Trump said:
“If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there’s unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni… and I would say, ‘Let’s move into another location,’ and they would do that.”
The 2026 World Cup will see the U.S. host 78 of 104 matches, with others played in Canada and Mexico.