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Donald Trump has yet again announced he would pressure FIFA to relocate 2026 World Cup matches from a designated city based on that city's governance, with Boston emerging as the third urban area to receive such statements from the White House. Furthermore, Trump suggested he would contemplate parallel steps against Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Games due to perceived public safety risks.

Legal Authority and Informal Leverage

While Trump lacks formal power to unilaterally remove either tournament, he is able to lobby the organizing committees managing each tournament to change locations.

Background of Comments

These remarks were made during a media briefing with Javier Milei, who was present in the White House following the revelation of a multibillion-dollar rescue package for the South American economy. At the close of the event, a reporter inquired Trump about a latest “street takeover” in the city where authorities were assaulted and a police vehicle was burned. The correspondent also wondered if such events could cause the removal of tournament responsibilities for the 48-team soccer tournament.

“We could take them away,” Trump stated about the soccer matches, scheduled to be hosted at the Massachusetts arena. “The city's leader is ineffective … she is extremist, and they are taking over sections of Boston. It's a major statement, isn't it?”

Public Gatherings and Political Context

Unauthorized gatherings, a online-fueled trend where groups of people congregate on city streets late at night to engage in dangerous driving, have emerged as a repeated issue in US urban areas since the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Current similar events have turned violent in the region, notably in the city. Yet, these gatherings are generally not regarded as tied to any specific political ideology.

“When a city is doing a bad job, and I perceive there’s security risks, I'd call the organization's president, who is phenomenal, and tell him it should be shifted to an alternate venue,” he commented publicly. “And he would do that. He might not prefer doing it, but he’d do it. Readily, he'd comply.”

Organizational Alignment

The organization's head has publicly acknowledged his strategies to be publicly aligned with the former president prior to next year’s tournament, scheduled to be staged in multiple US locations across the US along with two in the northern neighbor and a few in the southern neighbor. The organization's leader has been present at various Oval Office functions, had Trump present the FIFA club award after that tournament’s final, and has even postponed his own organization’s congress to travel with Trump on a journey to the Arab region earlier in 2025.

Past Statements

This has not stopped, Trump from threatening the cancellation of FIFA World Cup games from different locations. In late September, Seattle and San Francisco came under similar statements, with Trump claiming both cities were “led by radical left lunatics who don’t know what they’re doing,” while criticizing the safety level of both areas and claiming that events could be relocated.

FIFA Response

The organization's deputy Montagliani dismissed Trump’s assertions when he reacted afterward at a conference in London.

“This is FIFA’s tournament, FIFA’s jurisdiction, FIFA makes such choices,” he said. “Politely to sitting presidents, football is more important than political figures and the game will endure their tenure and their government. That is the strength of football, that it is more significant than a single person and bigger than individual states.”

2028 Comments

On Tuesday, Trump’s answer to a query about the Massachusetts city extended to a parallel statement regarding the LA Olympic event.

“In case I thought LA was not going to be adequately ready, I'd shift it to another location if I had to,” he said. “On that one I might have to get a different kind of permission, but we would do that.”

The permission Trump alluded to would need to come from the Olympic governing body. Their head, the newly elected president, was selected to her post in this year and has yet to appear together with him, although she stated that she would like a meeting with the US figure at some point.

Additional Criticism

Trump also condemned Gavin Newsom’s handling of recent LA wildfires, stating that a parallel incident could cause the cancellation of the Games.

“In case he refuses to cooperate, we’re gonna have to be strict,” Trump stated.

His statement was just as unambiguous for Boston.

“They should address these issues,” Trump stated. “That is I will say.”