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

Mayor Wu spoke on a local podcast recently to address comments from the Trump administration, which had labeled her as "far-left." Trump had warned that he would call the head of FIFA if Boston did not "address its issues."

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, to test limits ... repeated warnings ... are directed at individuals and communities who stand their ground and comply or follow along to a divisive plan."

She further stated, "We are going to continue being who we are, and that means, sadly, we are going to be in a conversation that is challenging Boston's values." She finished by emphasizing her support for the Boston, saying, "Ten toes down for Boston."

The President's Comments and FIFA Involvement

Recently, FIFA President Gianni Infantino was seen alongside President Trump at the Gaza summit in Egypt. Infantino has also been to the White House and presented World Cup tournament and Club World Cup trophies to the president as presents.

On Tuesday, Trump was questioned on unrest in a Boston neighborhood that involved a police car being burned. He replied, "If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there's unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni – the president of the organization, who's great."

He continued, "I would say: 'Let's move into another location' and they would do that. He might not prefer it. But he would do it very easily." Trump also specifically targeted Mayor Wu, saying, "Their mayor is ineffective ... she's far-left, and they're taking over parts of Boston. That's a strong claim, right?"

Previous Warnings and 2026 World Cup Information

President Trump has made previous comments that he would take the same conversation with the FIFA president about moving games from Seattle and San Francisco, which are among the 16 locations across the continent.

The United States is co-hosting the 2026 tournament with Mexico and Canada. The expanded tournament is scheduled to be played from 11 June to July 19 in the coming year.