The Canadian FIFA VP repels Trump’s comments on the move of “dangerous” cities world cup games

US President Donald Trump was recalled on Wednesday that FIFA, not a government, finally decided what cities hosting the World Cup matches in 2026.

Trump suggested last week that he could declare the cities “not safe” for the 104 game football tournament next summer and modify a detailed accommodation plan that FIFA confirmed in 2022. He includes NFL stadiums near New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The 11 American host cities, plus three in Mexico and two in Canada (Toronto and Vancouver), are under contract with FIFA which would face significant logistical and legal problems to make changes during the eight months preceding the kick -off of June 11.

“It is the FIFA tournament, the FIFA jurisdiction, FIFA makes these decisions,” said the vice-president of the football organization on Wednesday, which is based in Vancouver at a conference on sports in London.

The Canadian President of the North American Regional Football Corps Concacaf said that sport was “greater” than any current political debate.

“With all the respect due to current world leaders, football is larger than them and football will survive their regime and their government and their slogans,” said Montagliani in an interview on stage. “It is the beauty of our game, it is greater than any individual and bigger than any country.”

Trump’s comments last week answered a question about the cities of the World Cup that oppose its repression of immigration and crime.

“If I think it’s not sure, we’re going to move him,” the American president told the Oval office.

Look | Vancouver has an overview of the FIFA World Cup trophy

Vancouver football fans have an overview of the FIFA World Cup trophy

The excitement for the FIFA 2026 World Cup accelerates with only 10 months before the major football event. Earlier in the day, fans had the chance to see the FIFA World Cup trophy in person in Vancouver, when he was exposed to Jack Poole Plaza. CBC News stopped to chat with fans who had aligned themselves to see the trophy.

Any city that “will be a little dangerous for the World Cup,” said Trump, also referring to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, “we are going to move him a little. But I hope it will not happen.”

The World Cup and the Olympic Games are based on the governments of the host nations at all levels for hundreds of millions of dollars in security commitments, the processing of visas and the police. The last four hosts of the male World Cup were Qatar, Russia, Brazil and South Africa.

Trump has a close working relationship with the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, who is a regular white house visitor. Infantino did not publicly comment on the question of cities deemed too dangerous to host games during the 48 team tournament which takes place until July 19.