🔗 Share this article The former president Warns of Removal of FIFA World Cup Fixtures from Massachusetts, Olympic Games from California Former President Trump has repeatedly announced he would urge FIFA to remove upcoming World Cup games from a designated city based on that city's politics, with Massachusetts becoming the third urban area to encounter such threats from the American leader. Furthermore, Trump indicated he would consider comparable measures against Southern California for the 2028 Olympics due to potential safety issues. Legal Authority and Possible Pressure While Trump lacks formal power to personally cancel either tournament, he is able to exert influence the organizing committees in charge of each tournament to shift venues. Context of Remarks His remarks were made during a press event with Javier Milei, who was at the White House following the disclosure of a multibillion-dollar rescue package for the South American economy. Toward the conclusion of the gathering, a journalist asked Trump about a latest public disturbance in Boston where law enforcement were assaulted and a police vehicle was set on fire. The reporter also questioned if the situation could lead to the revocation of tournament responsibilities for the 48-team football competition. “We could take them away,” the former president stated concerning the soccer matches, planned to be hosted at Gillette Stadium. “Their mayor is ineffective … she’s extremist, and they are occupying areas of Boston. That is a major statement, don't you think?” Public Gatherings and Public Safety Concerns Unauthorized gatherings, a digitally organized occurrence where participants assemble on city streets during nighttime to conduct vehicular acrobatics, have been a repeated problem in American cities since the coronavirus restrictions. Recent similar events have turned violent in Massachusetts, specifically in Boston. However, these gatherings are typically not considered associated with any distinct ideological group. “When a mayor is performing poorly, and I feel there are security risks, I would call Gianni [Infantino], who is phenomenal, and suggest let’s move it to an alternate venue,” he commented publicly. “He'd do that. He may not enjoy doing it, but he would comply. Very easily, he’d do it.” Political Connections The organization's head has made no secret his attempts to be closely connected with Trump prior to the 2026 event, planned to be staged in 11 cities across the United States along with a couple in Canada and three in the southern neighbor. The FIFA president has appeared at multiple Oval Office gatherings, facilitated Trump hand over the club tournament award after the concluding game, and has even postponed his FIFA's internal meeting to accompany Trump on a trip to the Gulf states earlier in 2025. Earlier Warnings This has not stopped, Trump from warning about the cancellation of soccer matches from different locations. In late September, the Washington city and the Bay Area metropolis came under similar criticism, with Trump asserting both cities were “run by radical left lunatics who don’t know what they are doing,” while challenging the safety level of both areas and suggesting that events could be shifted. Official Rebuttal The organization's deputy Montagliani rebuffed Trump’s claims when he commented days later at a gathering in the UK capital. “This is our competition, FIFA’s jurisdiction, the organization determines these matters,” he stated. “Respectfully to national heads, football is bigger than them and football will survive their tenure and their leadership. That’s the essence of football, that it is more significant than one leader and more important than a nation.” 2028 Comments On Tuesday, Trump’s answer to a query about Boston included a parallel statement regarding the upcoming Summer Games. “If I perceived LA was not prepared properly, I would shift it to an alternate venue as needed,” Trump stated. “For the Olympics I’d probably have to get a varying approval, but we'd take that action.” Official consent Trump refers to would must come from the Olympic governing body. The leader, the newly elected president, was selected to her post in March and has not yet hold a public appearance with him, though she indicated that she hopes for a discussion with the US figure at a future time. Additional Criticism The former president also criticized Gavin Newsom’s response of recent LA wildfires, remarking that a similar situation could result in the removal of the event. “In case he doesn’t play ball, we are going to have to be firm,” the former president commented. His message was just as direct for the Massachusetts city. “The city must clean up their act,” he remarked. “That is I will say.”