U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to move 2026 World Cup matches scheduled to take place near Boston, claiming that parts of the city have been “taken over” by unrest.
Foxborough, Massachusetts — about 30 miles from Boston and home to the New England Patriots — is one of the host cities for the tournament, which the United States will cohost with Mexico and Canada.
During remarks on Tuesday, Trump criticized Boston’s Democratic mayor, Michelle Wu, calling her “intelligent” but “radical left.”
“We could take them away,” Trump said of the World Cup games. “I love the people of Boston, and I know the games are sold out. But your mayor is not good.”
Without providing specifics, he claimed “they’re taking over parts of Boston” but added, “we could get them back in about two seconds.”
His comments came during a meeting with Argentina’s President Javier Milei. It was unclear what Trump was referring to, but earlier this month, a pro-Palestinian protest on Boston Common turned violent, resulting in multiple arrests and injuries to four police officers.
Trump’s administration has recently deployed National Guard troops to Washington and Memphis, and similar moves in Chicago and Portland have faced legal challenges.
He has previously suggested labeling certain cities as “not safe” for the 104-game tournament and hinted at altering FIFA’s confirmed hosting plan, which includes matches near New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
