President Donald Trump has delivered a thinly-veiled warning to Democratic-led cities scheduled to host World Cup matches in 2026, suggesting he might request FIFA relocate games if he deems crime levels unacceptable or encounters uncooperative local leadership.
Oval Office Ultimatum
Speaking alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the Oval Office, Trump outlined his conditions for cities retaining their World Cup hosting privileges. The president explicitly stated that governors and mayors would need to cooperate with federal authorities to ensure the tournament's success.
"The governors are going to have to behave. The mayors are going to have to behave," Trump declared during the extraordinary press conference.
Trump singled out California as particularly problematic, citing high crime rates and recent wildfire management. "In the case of California, you have a problem. You have high crime and you have a place that just suffered great fires and everything else, and they didn't do a very good job," he remarked.
Federal Intervention Demanded
The president expressed his willingness to deploy National Guard troops or other federal resources to host cities, but emphasized this required local invitation. Trump's preference is for Democratic leaders in World Cup host cities to proactively request National Guard assistance rather than waiting for potential problems to emerge.
"If they would tell us now, they're not gonna have a problem," Trump stated. "Because if we go in, they don't have a problem. If they want help during this, I would love to send in the National Guard or whoever is necessary to help them."
This isn't the first time Trump has threatened World Cup host cities. Last month, he suggested pulling games from Boston after expressing dissatisfaction with Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu.
FIFA's Cautious Response
When reporters pressed Trump for specific criteria that might trigger game relocations, he remained deliberately vague. "If we think there's going to be any sign of any trouble, I would ask Gianni to move that to a different city," he explained.
In a remarkable moment, Trump directly questioned Infantino about his authority to relocate matches, asking: "But if we think there's going to be a problem, Gianni, can I say we will move?"
FIFA president Gianni Infantino offered a measured response that stopped short of endorsing Trump's threats. "Safety and security is the No. 1 priority for a successful World Cup," Infantino stated. "We can see today that people have trust in the United States. They know that they will be coming here, and they will experience a safe and secure World Cup."
Infantino emphasized ongoing collaboration through a dedicated task force, noting they would "discuss and work together" to ensure all fans could experience "a celebration of coming together."
Unprecedented Sporting Decision
Relocating World Cup matches from designated host cities would represent an extraordinary move with little historical precedent in global sporting events. The host cities were officially announced in May 2022, giving venues more than four years to prepare for the tournament.
The eleven American host cities, along with venues in Mexico and Canada, have already invested significant resources in infrastructure upgrades, security planning, and preparations for accommodating millions of international visitors.
Trump's World Cup warnings align with his broader strategy of deploying federal law enforcement agencies including National Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement into Democratic-led cities like Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Chicago to address illegal immigration and crime.
These federal operations have raised concerns among political opponents and community activists who view them as oppressive, with reports emerging of US citizens being caught up in immigration-focused operations.
