FIFA VP: Not Trump's call to move 2026 World Cup games
Oct 2, 2025, 03:54 AM
U.S. President Donald Trump was reminded Wednesday that FIFA, not any government, ultimately decides which cities will host 2026 World Cup games.
Trump suggested last week he could declare cities "not safe" for the 104-game soccer tournament next summer and alter a detailed hosting plan that FIFA confirmed in 2022. It includes NFL stadiums near New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The 11 U.S. host cities, plus three in Mexico and two in Canada, are contracted with FIFA which would face significant logistical and legal issues to make changes in the eight months before the June 11 kickoff.
"It's FIFA's tournament, FIFA's jurisdiction, FIFA makes those decisions," the soccer body's vice president Victor Montagliani said Wednesday at a sports business conference in London.
The Canadian president of North American regional soccer body Concacaf said the sport is "bigger" than any current political debate.
"With all due respect to current world leaders, football is bigger than them and football will survive their regime and their government and their slogans," Montagliani said in an on-stage interview. "That's the beauty of our game, is that it is bigger than any individual and bigger than any country."![]()
U.S. President Donald Trump was reminded Wednesday that FIFA, not any government, ultimately decides which cities will host 2026 World Cup games.
Trump suggested last week he could declare cities "not safe" for the 104-game soccer tournament next summer and alter a detailed hosting plan that FIFA confirmed in 2022. It includes NFL stadiums near New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The 11 U.S. host cities, plus three in Mexico and two in Canada, are contracted with FIFA which would face significant logistical and legal issues to make changes in the eight months before the June 11 kickoff.
"It's FIFA's tournament, FIFA's jurisdiction, FIFA makes those decisions," the soccer body's vice president Victor Montagliani said Wednesday at a sports business conference in London.
The Canadian president of North American regional soccer body Concacaf said the sport is "bigger" than any current political debate.
"With all due respect to current world leaders, football is bigger than them and football will survive their regime and their government and their slogans," Montagliani said in an on-stage interview. "That's the beauty of our game, is that it is bigger than any individual and bigger than any country."
U.S. President Donald Trump has developed a close relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino ahead of the 2026 World Cup. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump's comments last week were in response to a question about World Cup cities that oppose his immigration and crime crackdowns.
"If I think it's not safe, we're going to move it out," the U.S. president said in the Oval Office.
Any city that "is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup," Trump said, also referring to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, "we'll move it around a little bit. But I hope that's not going to happen."
The World Cup and Olympic Games do rely on host nation governments at all levels for hundreds of millions of dollars worth of commitments on security, visa processing and law enforcement. The past four hosts of the men's World Cup were Qatar, Russia, Brazil and South Africa.
Trump has a close working relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who is a regular visitor to the White House. Infantino has not publicly commented on the issue of cities being judged too dangerous to host games at the 48-team tournament that runs through July 19.
Montagliani also said Wednesday that any decision to suspend Israel from international competitions lies with UEFA and not FIFA, denying that Thursday's FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, would address Israel's participation in World Cup qualifying.
"First of all, Israel is a member of UEFA, and it's no different than if I had to deal with a member of my own region. It's a UEFA decision. Israel is their member, and they have to deal with it. I respect not only the process, but also their decision," Montagliani said.
The 37-member FIFA Council includes eight members from UEFA.
The U.S. State Department said last week that it will work to stop any efforts that tried to ban Israel's team from the World Cup.
Last week, eight UN experts, including the special rapporteur for Palestine, Francesca Albanese, called on FIFA and UEFA to suspend the Israeli national team from international competitions "in response to the ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territory."
Trump's comments last week were in response to a question about World Cup cities that oppose his immigration and crime crackdowns.
"If I think it's not safe, we're going to move it out," the U.S. president said in the Oval Office.
Any city that "is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup," Trump said, also referring to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, "we'll move it around a little bit. But I hope that's not going to happen."
The World Cup and Olympic Games do rely on host nation governments at all levels for hundreds of millions of dollars worth of commitments on security, visa processing and law enforcement. The past four hosts of the men's World Cup were Qatar, Russia, Brazil and South Africa.
Trump has a close working relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who is a regular visitor to the White House. Infantino has not publicly commented on the issue of cities being judged too dangerous to host games at the 48-team tournament that runs through July 19.
Montagliani also said Wednesday that any decision to suspend Israel from international competitions lies with UEFA and not FIFA, denying that Thursday's FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, would address Israel's participation in World Cup qualifying.
"First of all, Israel is a member of UEFA, and it's no different than if I had to deal with a member of my own region. It's a UEFA decision. Israel is their member, and they have to deal with it. I respect not only the process, but also their decision," Montagliani said.
The 37-member FIFA Council includes eight members from UEFA.
The U.S. State Department said last week that it will work to stop any efforts that tried to ban Israel's team from the World Cup.
Last week, eight UN experts, including the special rapporteur for Palestine, Francesca Albanese, called on FIFA and UEFA to suspend the Israeli national team from international competitions "in response to the ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territory."
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