Former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed this week that he could compel FIFA President Gianni Infantino to alter host cities for the 2026 World Cup, further asserting similar influence over the 2028 Olympic Games.
Trump stated on Tuesday that he would intervene if a host city performed poorly or presented a security risk, specifically mentioning Boston.
“If someone does a bad job and I understand there is a security problem, I will call Gianni, the head of FIFA, who is formidable, and tell him to transfer it to another location. And he will do it,” Trump said. He added, “He will do it very easily.”
The former president has previously threatened to divert World Cup games from municipalities governed by Democrats.
Trump extended his claims of authority to the Olympics, saying, “I could say the same about the Olympic Games. If I thought Los Angeles wasn’t doing a good job, I would change them.” Los Angeles is scheduled to host the summer Olympics in 2028.
Trump made these remarks following a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei in Washington. He underscored his close relationship with Infantino, a Swiss national who leads global football’s governing body.
Trump and Infantino reportedly met on Monday in Egypt, where the FIFA president joined various world leaders for discussions on the Gaza peace process.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with the majority of matches slated for U.S. venues. The U.S. previously hosted the tournament in 1994.
Among the major U.S. cities governed by Democrats that are set to host matches, Boston has seven games, San Francisco and Seattle each have six, and Los Angeles has eight.
However, FIFA Vice-President Victor Montagliani publicly rebuffed Trump’s earlier threats on October 2, reiterating the organization’s sovereignty over the competition.