Trump warns of relocating World Cup from Boston, LA Olympics
The tournament is expected to create a once-in-a-generation economic windfall as the highest attended sporting event on US soil
[NEW YORK] US President Donald Trump said that he would seek to move the 2026 World Cup games out of Boston and shift the 2028 Olympics out of Los Angeles if he thought the cities were not properly prepared or if conditions were unsafe.
The greater Boston area is set to host seven World Cup matches next summer at Gillette Stadium, which is about 32 km southwest of the city. Trump said that he would call Fifa president Gianni Infantino and ask him to relocate those games if the city’s policies under Mayor Michelle Wu, a Democrat, were creating safety concerns. He was responding to a question that referenced a recent spate of so-called street takeovers in Massachusetts, where crowds or groups of vehicles have blocked roads and created disturbances.
“I love the people of Boston. I know the games are sold out, but your mayor is not good,” Trump said during a bilateral lunch with Argentine President Javier Milei on Tuesday (Oct 14). “I think she is hurting Boston. The answer is yes: If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there’s unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni, the head of Fifa, who’s phenomenal, and I would say, let’s move it to another location.”
Trump invited the head of Fifa to this week’s signing of a deal to halt the war in Gaza and has hosted Infantino at the White House multiple times.
A representative for Wu did not immediately have a comment.
Trump said that he would make a similar request to move the Olympics if needed, criticising California Governor Gavin Newsom’s handling of the destructive fires in LA earlier this year. LA is preparing to host roughly 800 events related to the Olympics.
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Friday, 2 pm
Lifestyle
Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself.
“If I thought LA was not going to be prepared properly, I would move it to another location,” Trump said. “Gavin Newsom, he’s got to get his act together.”
The World Cup is expected to create a once-in-a-generation economic windfall as the highest attended sporting event on US soil, with the Boston-area games set to deliver an estimated US$1 billion boost to the region’s economy, according to tourism officials.
Mayor Wu frequently describes Boston as one of the safest major cities in America, citing a record low homicide rate last year. At a congressional hearing in March focused on so-called “sanctuary city” policies, Wu said Boston’s approach to immigration protects against unjust enforcement and helps lower crime rates by building trust between the community and police officials.
SEE ALSO
Both Wu and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey have denounced the recent street takeovers. Two Rhode Island teens were arrested after an incident in Boston’s South End this month that the police department said resulted in a cruiser being struck with fireworks. Healey has said that there is “zero tolerance” for such conduct in Massachusetts. BLOOMBERG
Share with us your feedback on BT's products and services
