FIFA respond after Donald Trump issues World Cup threat

FIFA appear to have sided with Donald Trump after the president threatened to move World Cup games from certain US cities.

Next summer’s football World Cup will be held across several states, including Democrat-run cities like New York and Los Angeles.

President Trump has repeatedly threatened to move matches from cities he thinks are ‘not safe’ and said earlier this week that FIFA president Gianni Infantino would ‘easily’ back his proposals.

‘We could take them away,’ Trump said as Boston became the latest city to receive a World Cup threat from the president.

‘Their mayor [Michelle Wu] is not good … She’s radical left, and they’re taking over parts of Boston. That’s a pretty big statement, right?

‘If someone is doing a bad job, and I feel there’s unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni [Infantino], the head of Fifa, who is phenomenal, and say let’s move it to another location.

‘And he would do that. He wouldn’t love to do it, but he’d do it. Very easily, he’d do it.’

While Trump has no legal authority to move World Cup games, he is able to apply pressure to governing body FIFA and has a close relationship with Infantino.

The pair have become close since USA were confirmed as joint-hosts for next summer’s World Cup and both were on the stage for the presentation after the Club World Cup final in July.

Infantino, who was a surprising attendee of Trump’s Gaza peace summit in Egypt, is not currently pushing back on the President’s bold World Cup claims.

FIFA have in fact insisted the US government does have the right to determine if cities are safe for the World Cup following Trump’s controversial comments.

‘Safety and security are the top priorities at all FIFA events worldwide,’ a statement from the sports governing body read.

‘Safety and security are obviously the governments’ responsibility, and they decide what is in the best interest for public safety.

‘We hope every one of our 16 host cities will be ready to successfully host and fulfill all necessary requirements.’

America will host 78 of the 104 fixtures in the expanded 48-team men’s World Cup, with the remaining games taking place in Canada and Mexico.

Boston mayor Wu also responded to Trump’s comments while appearing on local podcast ‘Java with Jimmy’ on Wednesday.

‘Much of it is locked down by contract so that no single person, even if they live in the White House currently, can undo it,’ Wu said.

‘We’re in a world where for drama, for control, for pushing the boundaries … ongoing threats … are issued to individuals and communities who refuse to back down and comply or be obedient to a hateful agenda.

‘We are going to continue to be who we are and that means, unfortunately, we are going to be in a conversation in a way that is targeting Boston’s values.’

Lisa Gillmor, the mayor of Santa Clara, California, meanwhile, said: ‘Any suggestion that Santa Clara is unsafe is simply not based in fact.

‘We have been preparing for these games for nearly three years, and we will be proud to welcome the world to Santa Clara for the World Cup next year.’

More to follow…

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