By Sport Analyst
Emmanuel Afonja
With less than a year to go before the 2026 FIFA World Cup — the largest tournament in football history — tensions are brewing between the sport’s world governing body and the White House.
The United States, alongside Canada and Mexico, is set to host the expanded competition, which will feature 48 teams and more matches than ever before. America alone is expected to stage 78 of the 104 fixtures, including the final at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
But President Donald Trump raised eyebrows this week after declaring from the Oval Office that his administration would “move” World Cup games away from any American city it deemed unsafe.
“If any city looks even slightly dangerous for the World Cup — or the Olympics — we won’t allow games to go ahead there. We’ll shift them elsewhere,” Trump said, according to BBC Sport.
His comments immediately drew a firm response from FIFA. Speaking to The Guardian, FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani reminded the president that the World Cup is not a U.S. government event but a FIFA tournament.
“It’s FIFA’s competition, under FIFA’s jurisdiction,” Montagliani stressed. “With all due respect to current world leaders, football is bigger than them. It will survive their regimes, their governments and their slogans. That’s the beauty of our game — it is bigger than any individual and bigger than any country.”
The remarks underscore a potential flashpoint between FIFA and the U.S. administration, especially since host nations are responsible for ensuring security, visas and logistics for participating teams. While governments provide infrastructure and safety, the final authority on where matches are staged lies with FIFA.
Despite the row, preparations for the North American tournament are continuing. Matches are scheduled across iconic venues in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, Miami, Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Atlanta and New Jersey, among others.
FIFA has also confirmed that, for the first time in its history, the World Cup final will feature a halftime performance akin to the Super Bowl show. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin is leading the curation of the 15-minute spectacle, a decision that has already generated buzz among fans.
With the world’s eyes on North America, FIFA’s message is clear: it will be the one calling the shots when football’s biggest event kicks off in 2026.
