Donald Trump Threatens Pulling of 2026 World Cup Fixtures from Massachusetts, 2028 Olympics from Los Angeles

Donald Trump has once again declared he would influence FIFA to remove upcoming World Cup events from a venue based on municipal politics, with Boston becoming the most recent targeted location to receive such warnings from the White House. Additionally, Trump suggested he would contemplate comparable measures against Southern California for the upcoming Olympic Games due to perceived security concerns.

Legal Authority and Informal Leverage

Even though Trump lacks direct legal authority to directly relocate either competition, he is able to exert influence the respective governing bodies overseeing each competition to move locations.

Setting for Statements

The statements were made during a press event with Argentina's leader Milei, who was at the White House following the disclosure of a $20 billion financial assistance for the Argentine nation. At the end of the gathering, a reporter inquired Trump about a latest unauthorized gathering in Boston where authorities were attacked and a police vehicle was burned. The correspondent also questioned if these incidents could lead to the revocation of tournament responsibilities for the expanded World Cup.

“It's possible to take them away,” Trump remarked about the soccer matches, planned to be held at the Massachusetts arena. “The city's leader is not good … she is far-left, and activists are occupying areas of downtown. It's a pretty big claim, don't you think?”

Public Gatherings and Political Context

Unauthorized gatherings, a social media-driven phenomenon where participants congregate on city streets during nighttime to conduct vehicular acrobatics, have emerged as a frequent nuisance in metropolitan centers since the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Recent such gatherings have turned violent in the state, notably in the city. Yet, these occurrences are usually not seen as linked to any particular partisan agenda.

“If a city is failing, and I believe there’s security risks, I would call the FIFA head, who is phenomenal, and suggest let’s move it to an alternate venue,” he said publicly. “He'd do that. He may not enjoy the action, but he'd agree. Very easily, he'd comply.”

FIFA Relationship

FIFA President has been open his strategies to be publicly aligned with the US leader ahead of the 2026 event, set to be staged in 11 cities across the US along with two in Canada and three in Mexico. The FIFA president has been present at several presidential functions, arranged for Trump present the club tournament trophy after the concluding game, and has even rescheduled his FIFA's internal meeting to join Trump on a journey to the Arab region earlier in 2025.

Past Statements

Despite this, Trump from warning about the removal of World Cup matches from other US host cities. Recently, the Washington city and the Bay Area metropolis faced similar statements, with Trump claiming both locations were “run by radical left lunatics who lack understanding what they’re doing,” while questioning the safety level of both cities and suggesting that matches could be relocated.

Official Rebuttal

Victor Montagliani rebuffed Trump’s statements when he reacted afterward at a event in London.

“This is our competition, our responsibility, FIFA makes those decisions,” the vice-president stated. “Respectfully to sitting presidents, the sport is bigger than any individual and the game will outlast their regime and their leadership. That is the beauty of this sport, that it is bigger than any individual and more important than any country.”

2028 Comments

Similarly, Trump’s answer to a query about Boston veered into a comparable warning regarding the LA Olympic event.

“When I believed LA was not prepared properly, I will move it to an alternate venue if I had to,” he remarked. “For the Olympics I may have to obtain a alternative consent, but we will take that action.”

The permission Trump refers to would need to come through the IOC. The leader, Kirsty Coventry, was chosen to her role in March and has not yet meet publicly with Trump, although she indicated that she would like a sit-down with Trump at a future time.

Additional Criticism

He also criticized the state's leader Newsom’s management of the California fires, saying that a parallel incident could lead to the removal of the Olympics.

“In case he is uncooperative, we will have to be firm,” the former president said.

The warning was equally direct for Boston.

“They must improve their situation,” he remarked. “That’s all I can say.”