The international governing body of football, FIFA, issued a clear statement on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, emphasizing that it, and not any national government, holds the ultimate authority in selecting host cities for the upcoming 2026 World Cup. This declaration came as a direct response to recent comments made by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Last week, Mr. Trump publicly speculated about the possibility of deeming certain host cities ‘unsafe’ for the extensive 104-game tournament slated for next summer. He hinted at the potential to unilaterally change the meticulously planned hosting schedule, which FIFA had already ratified in 2022 and includes prominent venues like NFL stadiums near major U.S. cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
With only eight months remaining until the June 11 kickoff, any alterations to the established lineup of 11 U.S. host cities, along with three in Mexico and two in Canada, would trigger substantial logistical nightmares and complex legal battles for FIFA, given their existing contracts.
Speaking at a sports business conference in London, FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani reiterated the organization’s firm stance: “It’s FIFA’s tournament, FIFA’s jurisdiction, FIFA makes those decisions.”
Montagliani, who also serves as the Canadian president of CONCACAF, the regional football governing body for North America, emphasized that the sport itself transcends fleeting political discussions.
In a direct address during his interview, Montagliani asserted, “With all due respect to current world leaders, football is bigger than them and football will survive their regime and their government and their slogans. That’s the beauty of our game, is that it is bigger than any individual and bigger than any country.” These remarks were made in context of Mr. Trump’s earlier comments, which stemmed from questions regarding World Cup cities that have openly opposed his policies on immigration and crime.
From the Oval Office, the former U.S. President had stated, “If I think it’s not safe, we’re going to move it out.”
He further elaborated, suggesting that if any city posed “even a little bit dangerous” risk for the World Cup, or even the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, adjustments would be made, though he hoped such scenarios wouldn’t materialize. It’s important to note that both the World Cup and Olympic Games heavily depend on substantial financial and logistical support from host nation governments, covering aspects like security, visa processing, and law enforcement. Previous hosts of the men’s World Cup include Qatar, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa.
Despite former President Trump’s well-known close relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who frequently visits the White House, Infantino himself has refrained from publicly addressing the specific controversy of cities being deemed too perilous to host matches for the expanded 48-team tournament, which concludes on July 19.