Boston Mayor Mayor Wu Addresses Trump's Warning to Move World Cup Games from City
The mayor of Boston, Michelle Wu, implied that the city was prepared for a confrontation with US President Donald Trump regarding his claim that he could order FIFA to remove World Cup matches from the stadium in Foxborough, located approximately 35 kilometers south-west of the city.
Wu appeared on a Boston-based podcast this week to answer comments from the White House, which had labeled her as "far-left." President Trump had threatened that he would call the head of FIFA if Boston did not "clean up its act."
A great deal of it is secured by contract so that no one, even if they live in the White House, can reverse it.
Wu added, "We're in a world where for drama, for control, to test limits ... repeated warnings ... are issued at people and cities who refuse to back down and submit or follow along to a divisive plan."
She also remarked, "We are going to continue being ourselves, and that means, unfortunately, we are going to be in a conversation that is challenging what Boston stands for." Wu concluded by stressing her commitment for the city, saying, "Ten toes down for our city."
Trump's Statements and FIFA Role
Earlier this week, FIFA President Gianni Infantino was seen with Trump at the international summit in Egypt. Infantino has also been to the White House and presented World Cup and Club World Cup awards to the president as gifts.
On Tuesday, Trump was asked about unrest in a Boston neighborhood that included 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 FIFA, who's great."
He added, "I would say: 'We should relocate the games' and they would comply. He wouldn't love to do it. But he would do it very easily." The president also directly criticized Wu, saying, "Their mayor is ineffective ... she's far-left, and they're dominating some areas in Boston. That's a strong claim, right?"
Past Warnings and 2026 World Cup Information
Trump has made previous comments that he would have the similar discussion with the FIFA president about moving games from Seattle and San Francisco, 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 scheduled to be held from 11 June to July 19 next summer.
