FIFA responds to Donald Trump's claim that World Cup matches could be moved due to safety concerns

Martin Macdonald

• 16 Oct 2025 11:00 CDT
• 2 min read

News

FIFA have responded to United States president Donald Trump's claim that World Cup matches could be moved if cities are not deemed safe enough.

The 2026 edition of football's biggest event is set to take place across Canada, Mexico and the USA, with 78 of the 104 fixtures slated to be played stateside.

Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle will host games next year, but Trump previously suggested that he could 'move' games if any of the host cities are deemed 'unsafe' amid continuous political tension in the country.

Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office last month, Trump said: "It will be safe for the World Cup. If I think it isn't safe, we'll move it into a different city."

He also added that he could take the same measures for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

"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."

These comments have given rise to questions about whether the US president has the authority to even make such a massive change, considering that the ability to host World Cup games is a huge source of pride - and a logistical challenge - for cities.

FIFA responds to Trump

FIFA has responded to the US President, saying the decision to move us ultimately up to the government.

"Safety and security are the top priorities at all FIFA events worldwide," a FIFA spokesperson said.

"Safety and security are obviously the governments' responsibility and they decide what is in the best interest for public safety.

"We hope every one of our 16 host cities will be ready to successfully host and fulfil all necessary requirements."

This week, Trump said:

"If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there are unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni [Infantino], the head of FIFA, who's phenomenal, and I would say, 'Let's move it to another location'.

"And he would do that. He wouldn't love to do it, but he'd do it very easily. He'd do it and this is the right time to do it.

"I could say the same thing for the Olympics. If I thought L.A. was not going to be prepared properly, I would move it to another location.

"If I had to on that one, I'd probably have to get a different kind of a permission, but we would do that."

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