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Boston's mayor, Michelle Wu, suggested that the city was ready for a confrontation with US President Donald Trump over his assertion that he could order FIFA to relocate World Cup tournament matches from the stadium in Foxborough, situated approximately 35 kilometers southwest of the city.

Wu spoke on a local podcast recently to respond to comments from the White House, which had labeled her as "radical left." Trump had threatened that he would contact the head of FIFA if Boston did not "improve its situation."

Much of it is secured by agreement so that no single person, even the president, can change it.

She added, "We're in a world where for drama, for power, for pushing the boundaries ... ongoing threats ... are directed at people and cities who refuse to back down and comply or follow along to a hateful agenda."

She also remarked, "We are going to continue being who we are, and that means, sadly, we are going to be in a conversation that is targeting Boston's values." She finished by stressing her commitment for the Boston, saying, "Ten toes down for our city."

The President's Statements and FIFA's Involvement

Recently, FIFA President Gianni Infantino was photographed with Trump at the Gaza summit in Egypt. The FIFA president has also visited the White House and given World Cup tournament and Club World Cup trophies to Trump as presents.

Earlier, President Trump was questioned on recent disturbances in South Boston that involved a police vehicle being set on fire. He responded, "If things aren't handled well, and if I feel there's danger, I would call Gianni – the head of FIFA, who's phenomenal."

He added, "I would say: 'Let's move into another location' and they would comply. He wouldn't love to do it. But he would do it very easily." The president also directly criticized Mayor Wu, saying, "Boston's mayor is ineffective ... 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 Details

Trump has previously suggested that he would take the similar discussion with the FIFA president about relocating games from Seattle and San Francisco, which are among the 16 host cities across North America.

The US is joint hosts the 2026 tournament with neighboring countries. The expanded tournament is planned to be held from June 11 to July 19 next summer.