2026 Fifa World Cup: Trump warns matches could be moved from US cities

US President Donald Trump has said he is prepared to move 2026 World Cup matches away from any American cities he considers unsafe.

The United States is set to host 78 of the tournament’s 104 games, including the final, with the remaining fixtures taking place in Canada and Mexico. Eleven US cities have already been chosen to stage matches: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he would not hesitate to relocate games if security became a concern. “It will be safe for the World Cup,” he said. “If I think it isn’t safe, we’ll move it into a different city.”

World football’s governing body FIFA oversees the tournament and has the final say on host venues, which means any late changes would face significant logistical hurdles. It is also unclear whether the president has the authority to alter the plans, though he chairs the World Cup task force and has a strong working relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

"If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup, or for the Olympics, but for the World Cup in particular, because they're playing in so many cities, we won't allow it to go. We'll move it around a little bit,"he added.

The draw for the group stage will take place on December 5 in Washington DC, with the tournament scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19. We have to wait and see if any changes will occur to the actual plans.