Trump suggests moving World Cup games out of Seattle, but could he really do it?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

President Donald Trump on Thursday told reporters he would consider moving 2026 World Cup games out of cities he deemed unsafe.

The comments came after a reporter asked him about host cities that are resisting his immigration and crime initiatives.

Trump responded that Democratic-led places like Seattle and San Francisco would be safe for the international soccer tournament, but he left the door open for intervention.

"We're going to make sure they're safe. They're run by radical left lunatics that don't know what they're doing," he said. "It will be safe for the World Cup. If I think it isn't safe, we'll move it into a different city, absolutely."

However, the reality of moving the world's most-popular sporting event would prove daunting in light of the preparations and money already set aside for hosting the tournament, for which Seattle was named a host city in June 2022. Seattle and Lumen Field, which will hold four group-stage matches and two knockout-round matches next summer, is expected to draw 750,000 visitors.

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2025/09/29/world-cup-donald-trump-fifa-seattlefwc26.html

[Lovie777]

1. By that time, why World Cup want to come here..............

to the USA.

[pamdb]

2. World Cup and olympics

Frankly, I think both the World Cup and the Olympics should say 'bye bye' and go somewhere else. Maybe Canada?

And they should say it's because of trump and his immigrant crackdown.

[twodogsbarking]

3. Fell off of the Seattle Space Needle. Oh wait, I am getting ahead of things.

[ReRe]

4. The election is over, King Dumpster

I'm pretty sick of Stupid passing judgement on our cities. He's the GD lunatic! Period.

[RainCaster]

5. World Cup should move all the games to Mexico

They can host the games without any of the theatricals that ICE will bring.

[Bev54]

6. Trump does not have authority over FIFA, however FIFA is a corrupt institution itself, so

they may capitulate. I suggest if he doesn't want them in Seattle, Canada can handle more games.

[awesomerwb1]

7. Yes

FIFA is an unbelievably corrupt organization. Insanely corrupt.

If someone were to offer an "incentive" to move the games to say Florida, or Texas, they would do it in a heartbeat.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

8. FIFA VP pushes back on Trump comments about moving World Cup games from 'dangerous' cities

FIFA will not let trump move these games

Link to tweet

https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-fifa-trump-montagliani-e279b7f9c76afd751ac61643dfa1527a

LONDON (AP) — 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.