Donald Trump has warned he is prepared to move 2026 World Cup matches away from left-leaning host cities in America that he deems to be ‘dangerous’.
Less than nine months before the soccer tournament gets underway, Trump said he is going to make sure San Francisco and Seattle are ‘safe’ to stage matches in the US next year, adding that the cities are ‘run by radical left lunatics who don’t know what they’re doing’.
Seattle’s Lumen Field is set to host six fixtures at next summer’s tournament, with Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara – which is an hour away from San Francisco – due to put on the same amount.
Trump has again threatened to send federal troops into Chicago, having already done so in Los Angeles and Washington DC. He pledged that the city would be made ‘safe’ for the World Cup despite the fact it is not currently hosting any games.
He added: ‘If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup… because they’re playing in so many cities, we won’t allow it.
‘We’ll move it around a little bit. But I hope that’s not going to happen.’
Donald Trump has warned he will move 2026 World Cup matches away from ‘dangerous’ cities
Seattle’s Lumen Field (pictured) is set to host six fixtures at next summer’s tournament
Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, is also scheduled to stage six matches
The draw for the World Cup – which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico – takes place in Washington DC on December 5.
It was also revealed earlier this week that Trump will intervene to stop FIFA, soccer’s governing body, banning Israel from the World Cup in the United States next summer.
The United Nations has urged organizations to suspend Israeli sporting teams over the war in Gaza after a UN commission said Israel is committing genocide in the region. Israel has rejected the accusations.
According to Sky News, a spokesperson for Marco Rubio’s state department has said: ‘We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the World Cup.’
FIFA is yet to respond to the UN’s calls but the suggestion puts its president, Gianni Infantino, in a potentially difficult position after working hard to forge a close relationship with Trump.
In a speech in New York this week, Infantino said it is difficult to sanction countries involved in conflict but added: ‘I suffer when I see children suffer. I cry when I see mothers crying, whether it’s in Gaza… anywhere in the world.’
But despite Infantino’s words, Russia remains banned from international competiton due to its war with Ukraine and won’t play at the World Cup, which starts next June.
Israel’s team has a good chance of qualifying for the competition, which will largely be held in the US with games also staged in Mexico and Canada.
