FIFA Vice President: Not Trump's Call To Change World Cup Matches 2026
JAKARTA - The President of the United States (US), Donald Trump, was reminded on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, that FIFA, not any government, will ultimately decide which city will host the 2026 World Cup matches.
Last week, Trump hinted that he could declare cities unsafe for the 104-match soccer tournament next summer and change the detailed plans for the FIFA's 2022 confirmations. The plan includes NFL stadiums near New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Eleven host cities in the US, plus three in Mexico and two in Canada, were contracted by FIFA which will face significant logistical and legal issues to make changes within eight months before the match begins on June 11, 2026.
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"This is the FIFA tournament, FIFA jurisdiction, FIFA that made the decision," FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani said on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 local time, at a sports business conference in London.
Montagliani - President of Concacaf (North America) from Canada - further said that this sport is bigger than any political debate at this time.
"With all due respect to today's world leaders, football is bigger than them and football will survive under their regimes, government, and slogans."
"That's the beauty of our game, which is bigger than any individual and bigger than any country," said Montagliani again.
Trump's comments last week responded to questions about the cities of the 2026 World Cup, which oppose his crackdown on immigration and crime.
"If I don't think it's safe, we'll move it. Any city that will be a little dangerous for the World Cup, we'll move a little."
"However, I hope that won't happen," said the US President in the Oval Room who also referred to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics do depend on the host country government at all levels for a commitment of hundreds of millions of dollars to security, visa processing, and law enforcement.
Trump has a close working relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who is a permanent visitor to the White House.
Infantino has not publicly commented on the issue of cities that are considered too dangerous to host the match which is now filled with 48 teams and will last until July 19, 2026.
Meanwhile, Montagliani also said on the same day that any decision to suspend Israel from international tournaments was in UEFA's hands, not FIFA.
He also denied that the FIFA Board meeting on Thursday, October 2, 2025, local time, in Zurich, Switzerland, would discuss Israel's participation in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
"First of all, Israel is a member of the UEFA, and there is no difference if I have to deal with members of my own territory."
"That's UEFA's decision. Israel is their member. They have to deal with it. I respect not only the process, but also their decision," said Montagliani.
The FIFA board consists of 37 people including eight members of UEFA.
The US State Department said last week that it would seek to stop any attempt to bar Israel from the 2026 World Cup.
Last week, eight UN experts, including a special whistleblower to Palestine, banyak Albanese, urged FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel's national team from international tournaments in response to ongoing genocide in occupied Palestinian territories.