Boston's Leader Michelle Wu Counters President Trump's Warning to Relocate FIFA World Cup Matches from Boston
The mayor of Boston, Michelle Wu, implied that the municipality was ready for a confrontation with US President Donald Trump over his assertion that he could order FIFA to remove World Cup tournament matches from Gillette Stadium, situated approximately 35 kilometers southwest of Boston.
Wu spoke on a local podcast recently to answer comments from the White House, which had labeled her as "radical left." Trump had threatened that he would call FIFA President Gianni Infantino if Boston did not "clean up its act."
Much of it is locked down by contract so that no one, even the president, can undo it.
She continued, "We're in a world where for drama, for power, for pushing the boundaries ... repeated warnings ... are directed at people and cities who refuse to back down and comply or follow along to a hateful agenda."
She further stated, "We are going to continue being who we are, and that means, unfortunately, we are going to be part of a discussion that is targeting Boston's values." She finished by emphasizing her support for the city, saying, "Ten toes down for our city."
Trump's Comments and FIFA Involvement
Earlier this week, FIFA President Gianni Infantino was photographed with Trump at the Gaza summit in Egypt. Infantino has also visited the White House and given World Cup and Club World Cup trophies to the president as gifts.
On Tuesday, Trump was questioned on unrest in South Boston that included a police vehicle being set on fire. He responded, "If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there's danger, I would call Infantino – the head of FIFA, who's great."
He added, "I'd tell him: 'We should relocate the games' and they would comply. He might not prefer it. But he would do it without hesitation." Trump also directly criticized Mayor Wu, saying, "Boston's mayor is ineffective ... she's radical left, and they're taking over some areas in Boston. That's a pretty big statement, right?"
Previous Warnings and Upcoming Tournament Information
Trump has previously suggested that he would take the similar discussion with Infantino about moving games from other host cities, which are part of the 16 locations across North America.
The US is co-hosting the 2026 tournament with Mexico and Canada. The expanded tournament is planned to be held from June 11 to July 19 next summer.
