Some host cities are “run by radical left lunatics”, says US President
President Donald Trump has suggested that some US host cities for the 2026 men’s World Cup could lose hosting privileges if he believes they are not safe enough to stage them.
Trump vowed the tournament would be “very secure” but warned that games could be moved if local authorities failed to meet his standards.
When asked specifically about Seattle and San Francisco, two cities due to stage six games each but have opposed the federal government’s immigration policies, Trump described them as “run by radical left lunatics who don’t know what they’re doing”.
Seattle’s Lumen Field is scheduled to host four group-stage games, a round of 32 fixture and a round of 16 tie, while Levi’s Stadium near San Francisco will stage five group-stage matches and a round of 32 game.
The US is one of three co-hosts of the expanded 48-team tournament, alongside Canada and Mexico. In total, 11 American cities will stage matches, including New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Kansas City.
Vancouver and Toronto will host in Canada, while Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara will host in Mexico.
The US government has already committed $625m in security funding for the tournament, to be distributed among host cities according to need.
“If I think it’s not safe, we’re going to move it out of that city,” Trump said. “If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup, we won’t allow it. We’ll move it around a little bit. But I hope that’s not going to happen.”
