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Boston's mayor, Mayor Wu, suggested that the municipality was prepared for a dispute with US President Donald Trump regarding his assertion that he could instruct FIFA to remove World Cup games from Gillette Stadium, situated approximately 35 kilometers southwest of the city.

Mayor Wu spoke on a local podcast this week to answer comments from the Trump administration, which had labeled her as "radical left." President Trump had threatened that he would call FIFA President Gianni Infantino if Boston did not "address its issues."

Much of it is locked down by contract so that no one, even if they live in the White House, can undo it.

She continued, "We live in a time where for drama, for control, to test limits ... repeated warnings ... are issued at individuals and communities who refuse to back down and comply or be obedient to a divisive plan."

Mayor Wu also remarked, "We will keep being who we are, and that means, unfortunately, we are going to be part of a discussion that is targeting what Boston stands for." She finished by emphasizing her commitment for the city, saying, "Fully committed for Boston."

The President's Statements and FIFA Involvement

Earlier this week, FIFA President Gianni Infantino was seen with Trump at the Gaza summit in Egypt. The FIFA president has also visited the Oval Office and given World Cup and club championship awards to the president as presents.

On Tuesday, President Trump was asked about unrest in South Boston that included a police car being set on fire. He replied, "If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there's unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni – the head of the organization, who's phenomenal."

He continued, "I would say: 'Let's move into another location' and they would do that. He wouldn't love to do it. But he would do it without hesitation." The president also specifically targeted Mayor Wu, saying, "Their mayor is not good ... she's radical left, and they're taking over some areas in Boston. That's a pretty big statement, right?"

Past Warnings and 2026 World Cup Information

President Trump has previously suggested that he would take the same conversation with Infantino about moving games from Seattle and San Francisco, which are part of the 16 host cities across the continent.

The US is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup with neighboring countries. The expanded tournament is planned to be held from June 11 to 19 July next summer.