WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump threatened to transfer Tuesday. world cup Matches were to be played in Boston the following year, parts of which he suggested had been “taken over” by recent unrest.
Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, home of the NFL new England Patriots And about 30 miles from Boston, seven matches will be held as the U.S. co-hosts the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada. Trump was asked about the city’s Mayor Michelle Wu, a Democrat, whom he called “intelligent” but “radical leftist.”
“We can take them away,” Trump said of the games. “I like the people of Boston, and I know the games are sold out. But your mayor is no good.”
He suggested, without giving details, that “they’re taking over parts of Boston”, but also said that “we can get them back in about two seconds.”
Wu’s office released a statement that read, “Boston is honored and excited to host World Cup matches, and we look forward to welcoming fans from around the world to our beautiful city, the cradle of freedom and the City of Champions.”
Trump’s comments came during his meeting with Argentina’s president and it was not immediately clear what he was referring to. However, several arrests were made in connection with a pro-Palestinian protest earlier this month that turned violent on the Boston Common, leaving four police officers injured.
Trump has previously suggested he could declare cities “not safe” for the 104-game soccer tournament and make changes to the expanded hosting plan ratified by FIFA in 2022. This includes NFL stadiums near New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
World Cup hosting venues are not suitable for Trump. The 11 US cities – three in Mexico and two in Canada – are under contract with FIFA, who will face significant logistical and legal issues to make the changes in the eight months before the June 11 kick-off.
“It’s a FIFA tournament, FIFA has jurisdiction; FIFA makes these decisions,” Victor Montagliani, the football body’s vice president, told a sports business conference in London earlier this month.
Nevertheless, Trump said: “If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I think there are unsafe conditions, I will call Gianni – the head of FIFA who is phenomenal – and I will say, ‘Let’s go to another place’ and he will do it.”
The president was referring to FIFA chief and close aide Gianni Infantino. Trump said Infantino “wouldn’t like to do it, but he would do it very easily.”
