What Donald Trump has said about moving World Cup games out of 'unsafe' US cities | OneFootball

Donald Trump has previously threatened to move World Cup games from any city that is deemed 'unsafe'.

The countdown to the 2026 World Cup is well under way, with USA, Mexico and Canada co-hosting what is the biggest football event on the planet next year.

This tournament will be the first that includes 48 teams, a decision that has divided opinion among fans across the globe.

However, the increased number of teams does mean more players will play on the biggest stage, and there are likely to be several individuals representing Championship clubs when the World Cup starts.

Coventry’s Haji Wright is pushing to secure the number nine shirt for USA, whilst West Brom’s Callum Styles will hope to play a part for Hungary, although they still have work to do to book their place in the tournament. Birmingham’s Paik Seung-ho has helped South Korea qualify, though, and he will expect to make their squad.

Donald Trump has threatened to move games out of ‘unsafe’ US cities

Obviously, preparations are well underway to ensure the three countries are capable of hosting such an event, but there has been particular controversy over whether certain cities in the United States will be welcoming enough for fans.

There have been demonstrations that have resulted in violence in Boston, San Francisco and Chicago, all of which are set to host games at the World Cup.

Naturally, that had people worrying whether supporters would be able to enjoy the World Cup if there is tension in those cities, or other places across the country.

And, it prompted Trump to get involved, with the President making it clear he would be prepared to remove the hosting rights of a city if it was unsafe.

“If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup … we won’t allow it to go to it. We’ll move it around a little bit,” he is quoted as saying in the Guardian.

Can Donald Trump move World Cup games?

This had many wondering whether Trump actually has the power to do that - and, technically, he wouldn’t be able to do it on his own.

That’s because the agreement to be a host city is with FIFA and the local municipalities, which makes it a private business deal, so there would be no way he could interfere normally.

Yet, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen, as Trump would be able to put pressure on those involved to change the host city if he really wanted, and his powerful status means it would be no surprise if that happened if it was really forced.

Plus, it’s well-documented that he has a close relationship with Gianni Infantino, who is the President of FIFA. The two have been seen at various events together, including the Club World Cup in the summer, where Trump presented Chelsea with the trophy after they had beaten PSG.

Ultimately, this is arguably the biggest event in sport, and the eyes of over a billion people across the world will be on the USA, Canada and Mexico when it starts on 11 June 2026.

Therefore, all connected will be eager for everything to run smoothly, so it remains to be seen if Trump follows through on his threat to change host cities at what would be a very late stage considering the preparations that have gone into it.