Donald Trump Threatens Pulling of FIFA World Cup Fixtures from Massachusetts, Olympic Games from California
Ex-president Trump has yet again declared he would influence FIFA to relocate global soccer tournament events from a designated city based on municipal governance, with Massachusetts emerging as the most recent targeted location to receive such warnings from the American leader. Furthermore, Trump indicated he would evaluate comparable measures against Los Angeles for the upcoming Olympic Games due to possible security concerns.
Jurisdictional Limits and Informal Leverage
Even though Trump holds no direct legal authority to unilaterally remove either event, he may lobby the organizing committees in charge of each competition to shift host cities.
Setting for Statements
The remarks were made during a media briefing with Argentinian president Milei, who was at the White House following the revelation of a massive bailout for the Argentine economy. Near the conclusion of the event, a journalist asked Trump about a current “street takeover” in the city where law enforcement were attacked and a cruiser was burned. The correspondent also wondered if these incidents could result in the loss of organizing rights for the expanded World Cup.
“I would take them away,” Trump said concerning the soccer games, set to be hosted at the Foxborough venue. “She is not good … she’s radical left, and activists are taking over areas of Boston. That is a major assertion, don't you think?”
Urban Disturbances and Political Context
Unauthorized gatherings, a social media-driven phenomenon where groups of people assemble on urban roads during nighttime to engage in dangerous driving, have become a ongoing issue in US urban areas since the coronavirus closures. Latest such gatherings have escalated into violence in the region, specifically in downtown. Yet, these gatherings are usually not seen as linked to any particular ideological group.
“If a mayor is performing poorly, and I perceive there’s unsafe conditions, I'd call the FIFA head, who is phenomenal, and tell him we should relocate it to another location,” the former president commented publicly. “He will do that. He may not enjoy the action, but he would comply. Without hesitation, he would.”
FIFA Relationship
FIFA President has made no secret his attempts to be publicly aligned with the US leader before next year’s tournament, scheduled to be staged in 11 cities across the US along with a couple in the northern neighbor and a few in the southern neighbor. The head has participated at several White House gatherings, had Trump deliver the FIFA club award after the concluding game, and has even delayed his own organization’s congress to accompany Trump on a journey to the Arab region earlier in 2025.
Previous Threats
Despite this, Trump from warning about the removal of soccer matches from additional American venues. Recently, Seattle and San Francisco were parallel statements, with Trump claiming both cities were “led by far-left extremists who lack understanding what they are doing,” while criticizing the security conditions of both cities and claiming that games could be removed.
FIFA Response
Victor Montagliani rebuffed Trump’s claims when he responded afterward at a event in London.
“It is FIFA’s tournament, FIFA’s jurisdiction, the organization determines these matters,” the vice-president stated. “Respectfully to current world leaders, football is transcends political figures and soccer will outlast their regime and their leadership. That is the strength of football, that it is more significant than one leader and beyond a nation.”
Olympics Threat
During the event, Trump’s answer to a question about Boston included a comparable warning regarding the LA Olympic event.
“When I believed the city was not going to be prepared properly, I'd relocate it to a different city as needed,” he remarked. “Regarding that event I’d probably have to obtain a alternative permission, but we'd do that.”
Official consent Trump refers to would must come via the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Their president, Kirsty Coventry, was selected to her role in March and has so far not meet publicly with Trump, but she indicated that she hopes for a discussion with him at some point.
Other Remarks
Trump also criticized California governor Newsom’s handling of the California fires, saying that a comparable scenario could result in the relocation of the Olympics.
“If the governor doesn’t play ball, we’re gonna have to be strict,” he stated.
The warning was just as direct for Boston.
“They better clean up their act,” he said. “That is I will say.”