FIFA Warns Trump: US President Has No Power to Decide 2026 World Cup Host Cities
Story: written Okafor Joseph October 2,2025
FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF president, Victor Montagliani, has firmly stated that US President Donald Trump has no authority to determine which cities will host matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking at a conference in London, Montagliani dismissed Trump’s recent comments suggesting that games could be moved away from cities he considered “even a little dangerous” for the global tournament.
The FIFA official emphasized that all decisions regarding host venues fall strictly under football’s governing body and not political leaders.
“It’s FIFA’s tournament, FIFA’s jurisdiction, and FIFA makes those decisions,” Montagliani declared. “With all due respect to current world leaders, football is bigger than them. Football will survive their governments, their regimes, and their slogans.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be the first edition featuring 48 teams, with matches spread across multiple North American cities.
Montagliani’s remarks serve as a reminder that political influence will not dictate the structure or safety protocols of the world’s biggest sporting event.
