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The mayor of Boston, Mayor Wu, suggested that the municipality was ready for a dispute with US President Donald Trump over his assertion that he could instruct FIFA to relocate World Cup matches from Gillette Stadium, located approximately 35 kilometers southwest of Boston.

Wu appeared on a local podcast this week to answer criticism from the White House, which had described her as "radical left." President Trump had warned that he would call the head of FIFA if Boston did not "address its issues."

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

She added, "We're in a world where for attention, for control, for pushing the boundaries ... ongoing threats ... are directed at people and cities who stand their ground and submit or follow along to a hateful agenda."

Mayor Wu further stated, "We are going to continue being ourselves, and that means, unfortunately, we are going to be in a conversation that is challenging Boston's values." Wu finished by stressing her commitment for the city, declaring, "Fully committed for our city."

Trump's Statements and FIFA's Role

Earlier this week, Infantino was photographed with Trump at the international summit in Egypt. The FIFA president has also visited the White House and given World Cup tournament and Club World Cup trophies to the president as presents.

Earlier, Trump was questioned on unrest in South Boston that involved a police vehicle being burned. Trump responded, "If things aren't handled well, and if I feel there's unsafe conditions, I would call Infantino – the president of FIFA, who's great."

Trump added, "I'd tell him: 'We should relocate the games' and they would comply. He might not prefer it. But he would do it very easily." Trump also directly criticized Wu, saying, "Boston's mayor is not good ... she's radical left, and they're dominating some areas in Boston. That's a pretty big statement, right?"

Previous Warnings and 2026 World Cup Details

Trump has previously suggested that he would have the same conversation with the FIFA president about relocating games from other host cities, which are among the 16 host cities across the continent.

The US is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada. The expanded tournament is scheduled to be held from June 11 to 19 July next summer.