US President Donald Trump has assured that he will move matches at the 2026 World Cup from any cities he thinks are unsafe.
No fewer than eleven cities in the country are scheduled to host the most anticipating matches at next summer’s 48-team tournament, which will be co-hosted by Canada and Mexico.
The US will host 78 of the 104 fixtures, including the final.
World governing body Fifa is in charge of organising the tournament and selecting host cities, and any changes now – or at a later stage – would face logistical challenges.
It is also unclear whether Trump has the authority to make such changes, though he does have a close working relationship with its president Gianni Infantino and is chair of the World Cup taskforce.
“It will be safe for the World Cup,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “If I think it isn’t safe, we’ll move it into a different city.”
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The 11 host cities in the US are Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.
Trump was asked specifically about matches in the Democratic-run cities of Seattle and San Francisco. Both are due to host six games.
He also mentioned Los Angeles – another Democratic stronghold, which will host the 2028 Olympics and eight matches next year.
“If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup, or for the Olympics, but for the World Cup in particular, because they’re playing in so many cities, we won’t allow it to go. We’ll move it around a little bit,” he said.
