‘Let’s move it to another location’: Donald Trump vows to change 2026 World Cup venue

Last Updated on 18 October 2025

President Donald Trump has been making the headlines in the footballing world for much of 2025. In his latest claim, the US President threatened to change the venue of the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

After previously floating the idea of moving 2026 World Cup matches away from San Francisco and Seattle, the US President has now added Boston to his growing list of “unsafe” host cities.

FIFA officials, however, have tried to play down the threat. Even though, Gianni Infantino, FIFA’s President maintains a close working relationship with Trump and faces increasing pressure from Washington ahead of the tournament.

President Trump threatens to strip World Cup matches from ‘unsafe’ US cities

Speaking to reporters, Trump made it clear that he believes he holds the power to influence where the World Cup will be played.

He framed the issue not as a suggestion, but as a direct action he could take, as per Sky. The US President claimed that he could demand the games to be moved through a simple phone call to Gianni Infantino.

“If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there are unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni, the head of FIFA, who’s phenomenal, and I would say, ‘let’s move it to another location’. And he would do that.” Trump declared confidently. “He wouldn’t love to do it. But he’d do it very easily.”

FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani attempted to downplay the comments, insisting that FIFA alone decides host cities. He also warned that “football is bigger than any government.”

However, it’s hard to see his statement holding much weight. Trump has a history of strong-arming institutions. In fact, he also has a notably close relationship with Infantino and that has sparked worry surrounding the 2026 World Cup.

Infantino faces global backlash over FIFA’s ‘double standards’

Gianni Infantino’s silence in response to Trump’s comments isn’t the only controversy swirling around him. The FIFA president is already under intense fire for what critics call ‘hypocrisy and selective politics’ regarding international conflicts.

Earlier this month, Infantino claimed FIFA “cannot solve geopolitical issues” when asked why Israel was not suspended from football amid its ongoing conflict with Palestine.

This statement contrasts FIFA’s immediate suspension of Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. A move made under Infantino’s leadership.

Despite mounting pressure from UEFA members to vote for Israel’s suspension, FIFA has avoided taking any action. Infantino chaired a council meeting where the issue wasn’t even on the official agenda. Instead, ironically, he chose to emphasize FIFA’s “role in promoting peace and unity.”

Given Infantino’s strong ties with Trump, who helped broker the controversial peace proposal in Gaza, many critics believe FIFA’s “neutrality” is far from genuine.

This selective enforcement has amplified accusations of FIFA being swayed by political power, with fans and federations questioning how the organization decides, when and against whom, to act.