🔗 Share this article

Boston's mayor, Mayor Wu, indicated that the city was prepared for a confrontation with President Donald Trump concerning his claim that he could order FIFA to relocate World Cup tournament games from the stadium in Foxborough, situated approximately 35 kilometers southwest of Boston.

Mayor Wu appeared on a local podcast this week to respond to comments from the Trump administration, which had described her as "far-left." President Trump had warned that he would call FIFA President Gianni Infantino if Boston did not "improve its situation."

Much of it is locked down by contract so that no single person, even if they live in the White House, can change it.

Wu added, "We live in a time where for drama, for power, to test limits ... repeated warnings ... are issued at individuals and communities who refuse to back down and submit or be obedient to a divisive plan."

She further stated, "We will keep being ourselves, and that means, sadly, we are going to be part of a discussion that is challenging Boston's values." Wu concluded by stressing her support for the city, declaring, "Fully committed for Boston."

The President's Statements and FIFA's Role

Recently, Infantino was seen with Trump at the international summit in Sharm el-Sheikh. The FIFA president has also been to the White House and presented World Cup and club championship trophies to Trump as gifts.

Earlier, Trump was asked about unrest in South Boston that involved a police vehicle being burned. Trump replied, "If things aren't handled well, and if I feel there's danger, I would call Gianni – the head of the organization, who's phenomenal."

Trump added, "I'd tell him: 'Let's move into another location' and they would comply. He might not prefer it. But he would do it without hesitation." Trump also directly criticized Wu, saying, "Boston's mayor is ineffective ... she's far-left, and they're dominating parts of Boston. That's a pretty big statement, right?"

Previous Warnings and 2026 World Cup Details

Trump has made previous comments that he would have the same conversation with Infantino about relocating matches from other host cities, which are part of the 16 locations across North America.

The US is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada. The expanded tournament is planned to be played from 11 June to July 19 in the coming year.