Donald Trump has threatened to remove World Cup matches from Boston and the 2028 Olympic Games from Los Angeles, escalating his intervention into major sporting events hosted in cities led by political opponents. The former president made the remarks Tuesday, suggesting both events could be relocated if he deems the host cities inadequately prepared or if their leadership doesn’t cooperate with his demands.
The threats represent a notable challenge to the established protocols of international sporting governance, where decisions regarding host cities are typically made by organizations like FIFA and the International olympic Committee (IOC), not individual national leaders. Trump’s comments inject a new layer of political uncertainty into preparations for both events,potentially jeopardizing billions of dollars in economic impact and years of planning.
Trump initially targeted the 2026 World Cup, criticizing the selection of Boston as a host city and claiming he would “do something about it” if elected. FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani swiftly rebuffed these claims, stating at a conference in london that “it’s Fifa’s tournament, Fifa’s jurisdiction, Fifa makes those decisions.” Montagliani further emphasized the independence of the sport, saying, “football is bigger than them and football will survive their regime and their government and their slogans.”
The former president then turned his attention to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, stating he would move the Games to another location if he believed LA was not “prepared properly,” though acknowledging he would need “a different kind of permission” from the IOC. IOC president Kirsty Coventry, elected in March, has expressed a desire to meet with Trump, but has not yet done so.
Trump also criticized california governor Gavin Newsom’s handling of this year’s wildfires,suggesting a similar situation could lead to the removal of the Olympic Games. “If he doesn’t play ball, we’re gonna have to be very tough,” Trump said. He issued a similar warning to Boston, stating, “Boston better clean up their act.”
