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Ex-president Trump has once again declared he would pressure FIFA to relocate 2026 World Cup matches from a venue based on that city's governance, with the Boston region emerging as the latest urban area to encounter such statements from the American leader. Additionally, Trump remarked he would consider comparable measures against Southern California for the 2028 Summer Games due to possible public safety risks.

Official Power and Informal Leverage

While Trump does not have formal power to directly relocate either event, he can lobby the international organizations managing each tournament to change host cities.

Setting for Statements

His remarks were made during a media briefing with Argentinian president Milei, who was at the presidential residence following the announcement of a multibillion-dollar financial assistance for the South American country. Near the close of the meeting, a journalist asked Trump about a latest public disturbance in Boston where law enforcement were attacked and a patrol car was burned. The correspondent also questioned if such events could cause the removal of hosting duties for the 48-team football competition.

“I would take them away,” Trump said regarding the World Cup games, scheduled to be hosted at the Massachusetts arena. “Their mayor is poor … they're radical left, and they’re occupying areas of downtown. It's a major assertion, right?”

Public Gatherings and Public Safety Concerns

Street takeovers, a social media-driven occurrence where participants congregate on urban roads late at night to conduct vehicular acrobatics, have become a repeated nuisance in metropolitan centers since the coronavirus shutdowns. Recent such gatherings have become aggressive in the state, including the city. Yet, these gatherings are usually not regarded as associated with any distinct ideological group.

“In cases where a mayor is failing, and I feel there are security risks, I would call the FIFA head, who is excellent, and suggest we should relocate it to a different city,” the former president commented publicly. “And he would do that. He may not enjoy the action, but he’d do it. Readily, he’d do it.”

Organizational Alignment

Gianni Infantino has publicly acknowledged his strategies to be publicly aligned with the US leader before next year’s tournament, scheduled to be organized in 11 cities across the America along with a couple in Canada and a few in the southern neighbor. The organization's leader has been present at multiple Oval Office gatherings, facilitated Trump present the club tournament award after the championship match, and has even delayed his own organization’s congress to travel with Trump on a visit to the Gulf states previously.

Past Statements

This has not stopped, Trump from warning about the removal of FIFA World Cup games from different locations. Recently, the Washington city and San Francisco were parallel criticism, with Trump stating both urban centers were “governed by far-left extremists who are clueless what they are doing,” while questioning the public safety of both cities and implying that games could be removed.

Organizational Statement

The organization's deputy Montagliani rejected Trump’s statements when he commented days later at a event in England.

“It is FIFA’s tournament, FIFA’s jurisdiction, FIFA makes these matters,” he said. “Politely to sitting presidents, the sport is bigger than political figures and the game will outlast their tenure and their leadership. It's the strength of this sport, that it is transcends any individual and more important than a nation.”

2028 Comments

Similarly, Trump’s answer to a query about Boston veered into a parallel statement regarding the upcoming Summer Games.

“If I perceived LA was not going to be prepared properly, I will shift it to another location if necessary,” he said. “For the Olympics I might have to obtain a different kind of permission, but we will proceed.”

Any approval Trump mentioned would have to come through the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The head, Kirsty Coventry, was elected to her post in spring and has not yet hold a public appearance with the former president, though she said that she would like a discussion with him at eventually.

Additional Criticism

The former president also questioned California governor Newsom’s management of recent blazes, stating that a parallel incident could lead to the cancellation of the event.

“If he is uncooperative, we will have to be very tough,” he stated.

The warning was equally unambiguous for the Massachusetts city.

“The city should improve their situation,” he remarked. “It's I can say.”