FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani struck down U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent threats to move certain host cities for the 2026 World Cup, asserting that only FIFA can “make those decisions.”
The 2026 World Cup is set to unfold across the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer, bringing soccer’s biggest tournament to North America for the first time since 1994. Eleven cities in the U.S., including Seattle and San Francisco, will host matches, which were scrutinized by President Trump last week.
“It will be safe for the World Cup. If I think it isn’t safe [for the World Cup], we’ll move it to a different city. Absolutely… If I think it’s not safe, we’re going to move it out of that city,” the U.S. president said.
Now, Montagliani made his and FIFA’s stance clear on the subject, going directly against the remarks of President Trump.
