Boston's Leader Mayor Wu Addresses President Trump's Threat to Move FIFA World Cup Matches from City

The mayor of Boston, Mayor Wu, suggested that the city was ready for a dispute with US President Donald Trump over his assertion that he could instruct FIFA to remove World Cup matches from Gillette Stadium, located 22 miles south-west of Boston.

Wu spoke on a Boston-based podcast this week to answer criticism from the Trump administration, which had labeled her as "far-left." President Trump had threatened that he would contact FIFA President Gianni Infantino if Boston did not "address its issues."

A great deal of it is locked down by agreement so that no single person, even the president, can reverse it.

Wu added, "We're in a world where for drama, for power, for pushing the boundaries ... ongoing threats ... are issued at individuals and communities who stand their ground and submit or be obedient to a divisive plan."

She further stated, "We are going to continue being who we are, and that means, sadly, we are going to be part of a discussion that is targeting what Boston stands for." She concluded by stressing her commitment for the city, saying, "Ten toes down for Boston."

The President's Statements and FIFA's Role

Recently, FIFA President Gianni Infantino was photographed with Trump at the international summit in Sharm el-Sheikh. Infantino has also visited the Oval Office and given World Cup tournament and club championship awards to the president as presents.

On Tuesday, Trump was asked about unrest in a Boston neighborhood that included a police car being set on fire. He responded, "If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there's unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni – the president of the organization, who's phenomenal."

He continued, "I would say: 'We should relocate the games' and they would comply. He wouldn't love to do it. But he would do it without hesitation." The president also directly criticized Wu, saying, "Their mayor is ineffective ... she's far-left, and they're taking over some areas in Boston. That's a pretty big statement, right?"

Past Warnings and 2026 World Cup Information

President Trump has made previous comments that he would take the same conversation with Infantino about relocating matches from other host cities, which are among the 16 locations across the continent.

The US is joint hosts the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada. The 48-team event is scheduled to be held from June 11 to 19 July next summer.