Overview
- President Donald Trump said matches could be relocated from U.S. host cities he deems unsafe, singling out Seattle and San Francisco and castigating their Democratic leadership.
- Multiple reports note that FIFA, not the White House, has the authority to designate or change venues, raising legal and contractual barriers to any late-stage switch.
- Seattle’s Lumen Field and the Bay Area’s Levi’s Stadium are slated for six games each as part of an expanded 48-team tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada across 11 U.S. cities.
- Organizers and analysts warn that moving games now would trigger major logistical complications and significant economic losses for affected host communities.
- Trump also floated applying similar scrutiny to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, and he is expected at the World Cup group-stage draw scheduled for December 5 in Washington, D.C.