FIFA Vice-President Victor Montagliani has asserted that the decision to move matches away from the designated host cities for the 2026 World Cup rests solely with FIFA, not with political leaders. His statement comes in response to recent comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the safety of some of the host cities.
Trump had suggested that matches could be moved from cities deemed unsafe, specifically mentioning Seattle and San Francisco, claiming they are managed by "radical left lunatics". He stated that if any city was considered even slightly dangerous for the World Cup, the games would be relocated. Trump also extended his criticism to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, suggesting they could face similar issues if local safety did not improve.
Montagliani, who is also the president of Concacaf, the confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean, addressed these concerns at Leaders Week London. He emphasized that the World Cup is FIFA's tournament and falls under their jurisdiction. Therefore, the decision to move matches is FIFA's alone. "It's FIFA's tournament, FIFA's jurisdiction, FIFA makes those decisions," Montagliani stated. He added, "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".
The 2026 World Cup is set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Eleven U.S. cities, including Atlanta, are scheduled to host matches. Seattle's Lumen Field and Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, near San Francisco, are each slated to host six matches. The tournament will be the first to feature 48 teams, posing a significant logistical and organizational challenge.
While Trump does not have direct authority to change World Cup venues, his relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino has raised concerns about potential influence. However, FIFA maintains its position as the sole governing body with the power to move matches.
Montagliani also addressed the possibility of expanding the Club World Cup from 32 to 48 teams for the 2029 edition but reiterated his opposition to expanding the World Cup to 64 teams for the centenary tournament in 2030.
