WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 06: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with the White House Task Force for the 2026 World Cup in the East Room of the White House on May 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump gathered the task force for the first time to hear from his Cabinet members in the ways their departments are preparing for the summer games. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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On Thursday, President Donald Trump threatened that he would move 2026 World Cup games from U.S. host cities that are “even a little bit dangerous.”

During a discussion with reporters at the White House, Trump had said that the competition would be “very secure,” before saying he would intervene and pull matches from host cities. His comments came after a reporter mentioned that Seattle and San Francisco have pushed back against the administration’s immigration policies.

“Well, that’s an interesting question, but we’re going to make sure they’re safe,” Trump said. “They’re run by radical left lunatics who don’t know what they’re doing.”

Trump later said: “As you probably know, we’re going into Memphis and we’re going into some other cities. Very soon we’re going into Chicago. It will be safe for the World Cup. If I think it isn’t safe, we’ll move into a different city, absolutely. It’s actually a very fair question.

“If I think it’s not safe, we’re going to move it out of that city. So if any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup, or for the [2028] Olympics, you know where they have [the] Olympics … , but for the World Cup in particular, 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.”

Some World Cup history

In the 75-year history of the World Cup, nation’s leaders have had no say as to what cities and venues could host the games. The World Cup has been around and kicking since Uruguay hosted the first world championship in 1930.

Seattle and San Francisco will host six games apiece in the tournament. Each city will hold a Round of 32 match and Seattle will have a Round of 16 encounter.

President Trump probably doesn’t realize that it doesn’t take the whim of a country’s leader or even the head of FIFA, to move mountains in a World Cup, especially host cities in a complicated, 16-venue, 48-team competition.

That’s why FIFA awards countries to host the World Cup many years in advance. In 1988, the USA was given the right to host the 1994 world championship. For countless World Cups, six years was the benchmark to organization the event because there are so many moving parts.

In 2018, FIFA made an announcement as three countries – Mexico, Canada and the U.S. – became the first tri-host of the World Cup. That was eight years in advance.

World Cups take a long time to organize events before, during and after the matches in any city. From a long line of candidates, FIFA needs to choose the suitable cities and venues to host the matches. For 2026, the United States has 11 cities, followed by Mexico (three) and Canada (two).

Then come transportation, housing and security issues as the main focus.

The 2026 World Cup also is divided into three parts – Western, Central and Eastern Regions. Teams will play their group-stage contests within the region, when possible, and hold down travel (especially long trips and bouncing between time zones). Vancouver and Los Angeles are also in the Western Division.

Trump’s World Cup history

President Trump has had an intriguing and curious history of with FIFA, starting with the FIFA Club World Cup and then with the 2026 World Cup.

The president has a replica of the FIFA Club World Cup trophy in the Oval Office. He also attended the tournament final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on July 13. During the post-game ceremonies, not only did he hand out medals, Trump also pocketed one of them. He also wound up in the middle of celebration photos of world champion Chelsea.

World leaders rarely do that.

Infantino’s influence

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, obviously trying to curry favor with the U.S. president, has visited the White House at least 10 times since last December and has set up a satellite World Cup office in Trump Towers in New York City.

As of the writing of this piece, Infantino had not commented has not commented on President Trump’s remarks.

President Trump’s comments sounded like he wanted to be king of the World Cup.

But he isn’t.

Then again, neither is Infantino.

Messi sits on the throne

The reigning king is Inter Miami CF superstar Lionel Messi, who captained Argentina to the 2022 world championship in Qatar. Until July 19, 2026, he will continue to be sitting on the throne, when a World Cup winner will be decided at MefLife Stadium.

That’s what the World Cup should be all about; not off-the-pitch politics, but what’s transpiring on the field.

Michael Lewis can be followed on X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky at @Soccerwriter.