FIFA confirms Donald Trump, the government has the final say on the security of the World Cup host city

FIFA confirmed on Wednesday that the US government will have the last word on security issues related to 2026 World Cup host citiesafter the president Donald TrumpUser comments on the possible relocation of matches from certain places, reports ESPN.

Trump, speaking earlier this week, said FIFA president Gianni Infantino would “very easily” move World Cup games from certain host cities if asked. His remarks followed violent incidents in South Boston, which led him to criticize conditions in the city and hint at removing games from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough if officials “don’t clean up their act.”

“Safety and security are top priorities at all FIFA events around the world,” a FIFA spokesperson said in a statement to Field Level Media. “Safety and security is clearly the responsibility of governments and they decide what is in the best interest of public safety. We hope that each of our 16 host cities will be prepared to successfully host and meet all the necessary requirements.”

Trump also mentioned Seattle and San Francisco as other cities he considered “dangerous,” raising concerns that political interference could influence the choice of venue just eight months before the tournament. FIFA, however, declined to comment on any specific cities or stadiums mentioned by the president.

Politics of the field

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, with the US playing 78 of the 104 games. The planning process for the event has already drawn critical attention due to political rhetoric surrounding the host city’s preparedness and security standards.

Infantino, who maintains friendly relations with Trump, was recently seen by the president’s side during a press conference in Egypt announcing the Israel-Gaza deal. When asked about the possibility of moving the games, Trump said: “If someone is doing poorly and I feel there are unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni – the head of FIFA, who is phenomenal – and I would say, ‘Let’s move to another location’ and they would do it. He wouldn’t like to do it very easily. But he would do it.”

However, FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani recently reminded observers that football decisions remain with the federation itself. “With all due respect to the current world leaders,” Montagliani said, “football is bigger than them and football will outlive their regime and their government and their slogans.

The 2026 tournament is scheduled to start on June 11 and run until July 19, and is expected to be watched by billions of people around the world. Still, with politics now clashing on the world’s biggest sporting stage, questions remain about how much influence the Oval Office can really have over FIFA’s latest decisions.