U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that certain cities slated to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup could lose their games if they are deemed unsafe.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Thursday, President Trump raised concerns specifically about Seattle and San Francisco, both of which are scheduled to host six matches each. “We’re going to make sure they’re safe,” Trump said. “They’re run by radical left lunatics who don’t know what they’re doing.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will run from June 11 to July 19, is set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the final planned for New Jersey. While FIFA traditionally oversees venue decisions, Trump emphasized his close relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his administration’s role in ensuring security.
“If I think it’s not safe, we’re going to move it out of that city,” Trump declared. He noted that his administration has already deployed the National Guard in Washington, D.C., to address what he called a “crime emergency” and promised similar actions in other cities such as Memphis and Chicago ahead of the tournament.
The President added, “It will be safe for the World Cup. If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous … we won’t allow it. We’ll move it around a little bit. But I hope that’s not going to happen.”
The FIFA World Cup draw, featuring a record 48 teams, is scheduled to take place December 5 in Washington, D.C.