Boston Mayor Michelle Wu Responds to President Trump's Warning to Move FIFA World Cup Games from Boston
The mayor of Boston, Mayor Wu, implied that the municipality was ready for a confrontation with US President Donald Trump over his claim that he could instruct FIFA to remove World Cup tournament matches from the stadium in Foxborough, located approximately 35 kilometers southwest of the city.
Wu appeared on a Boston-based podcast this week to address comments from the White House, which had labeled her as "far-left." President Trump had threatened that he would contact FIFA President Gianni Infantino if Boston did not "improve its situation."
Much of it is secured by agreement so that no single person, even the president, can reverse it.
She added, "We're in a world where for drama, for power, for pushing the boundaries ... ongoing threats ... are issued at individuals and communities who refuse to back down and submit or follow along to a divisive plan."
She further stated, "We are going to continue being ourselves, and that means, sadly, we are going to be part of a discussion that is challenging Boston's values." Wu finished by stressing her support for the Boston, saying, "Ten toes down for our city."
Trump's Statements and FIFA Involvement
Recently, Infantino was photographed alongside Trump at the international summit in Sharm el-Sheikh. The FIFA president has also been to the Oval Office and presented World Cup and Club World Cup trophies to Trump as presents.
Earlier, President Trump was questioned on recent disturbances in South Boston that involved a police car being set on fire. He responded, "If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there's unsafe conditions, I would call Infantino – the president of the organization, who's phenomenal."
He added, "I would say: 'Let's move into another location' and they would do that. He might not prefer it. But he would do it without hesitation." The president also directly criticized Mayor Wu, stating, "Boston's mayor is ineffective ... she's radical left, and they're taking over parts of Boston. That's a pretty big statement, right?"
Past Threats and 2026 World Cup Information
President Trump has previously suggested that he would take the similar discussion with the FIFA president about moving games from other host cities, which are among the 16 locations across North America.
The US is co-hosting the 2026 tournament with neighboring countries. The 48-team event is planned to be played from 11 June to July 19 next summer.