U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would consider moving 2026 FIFA World Cup matches from certain American cities if he believes they are unsafe.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump was asked about games scheduled for Seattle and San Francisco, two of the U.S. host cities. He replied:
“We’re going to make sure they’re safe. (Seattle and San Francisco are) run by radical left lunatics who don’t know what they’re doing.”
Seattle’s Lumen Field is set to host six matches, while Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, near San Francisco, will stage another six.
Although FIFA is responsible for choosing and managing host venues, Trump has maintained a close relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. He insisted that if any city posed security risks, matches would be relocated.
“If I think it’s not safe, we’re going to move it out of that city,” he said. “If any city looks even a little dangerous for the World Cup, or even for the 2028 Olympics, we won’t allow it. We’ll move it around a little bit. But I hope that’s not going to happen.”
Trump also pointed to his security policies, claiming he had already improved safety in several U.S. cities by deploying the National Guard. He said similar measures would ensure that the World Cup, which will run from 11 June to 19 July 2026 across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, takes place without risk.
The World Cup will feature 48 teams, with the official draw scheduled for 5 December in Washington, D.C.
