Donald Trump threatens to strip some US cities of hosting rights

President of the United States, Donald Trump, has warned that certain cities in the country could be stripped of their rights to host matches during the 2026 World Cup due to safety concerns.

Cities such as Boston, San Francisco, and Seattle are reportedly under scrutiny for security reasons, amid reports of rising violence.

The US President stated that he would notify officials of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) to consider relocating matches from venues deemed unsafe in order to protect players.

Richard Ofori eyes Ghana comeback ahead of 2026 World Cup

“If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there are unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni, the head of FIFA, who’s phenomenal and I would say, ‘Let’s move to another location,’ and they would do that. He wouldn’t love to do it, but he’d do it very easily,” he said, as reported by Sky News.

In response, FIFA President Gianni Infantino acknowledged that the US government has the authority to recommend changes to match venues, as it is responsible for public safety.

However, Infantino expressed hope that all 16 host cities would be ready and secure for the tournament.

“Safety and security are the top priorities at all FIFA events worldwide. These are obviously the responsibility of governments, and they decide what is in the best interest of public safety.

“We hope every one of our 16 host cities will be ready to successfully host and fulfill all necessary requirements,” Infantino clarified.

FIFA has not directly commented on the possibility of changing any of the 11 US venues for the expanded 48-team men’s World Cup, which will see the United States host 78 of the 104 matches, including the final in New Jersey.

Watch the report below:

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Meanwhile, watch highlights of Ghana’s 1-0 win over Comoros in the World Cup qualifiers