Donald Trump has again threatened to pressure Fifa into removing 2026 World Cup matches from a US host city, this time targeting Boston over its mayor, Michelle Wu, whom he called “radical left”. Speaking alongside Argentine President Javier Milei at the White House, Trump said he would ask Fifa president Gianni Infantino to move the games if conditions were unsafe. The tournament is scheduled to take place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Trump’s comments followed a reporter’s question about a recent “street takeover” in Boston where police were attacked and a car set alight. Street takeovers are unsanctioned gatherings involving car stunts, often turning violent, but are not linked to any political ideology. Trump claimed Wu’s leadership was failing and that he could easily have the games relocated.
This is not the first such threat. In September, Trump targeted Seattle and San Francisco, calling their leaders “radical left lunatics”. Fifa vice-president Victor Montagliani dismissed those claims, stating that Fifa makes its own decisions and that football is bigger than any government.
Trump also threatened to move the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if the city was not prepared, citing safety concerns and criticising California Governor Gavin Newsom’s handling of wildfires. However, such a move would require approval from the International Olympic Committee, whose president, Kirsty Coventry, has yet to meet Trump.
Infantino has publicly aligned himself with Trump, appearing at Oval Office events and giving him World Cup trophies. Despite this, Trump has repeatedly used the threat of removal to pressure cities he views as politically hostile.
