**Published Oct 15, 2025 • 2-minute read**
Join the conversation
**FILE** – President Donald Trump holds the FIFA World Cup Winners Trophy while FIFA President Gianni Infantino looks on during an announcement in the Oval Office on August 22, 2025, in Washington. (Photo by Jacquelyn Martin / AP)
Reviews and recommendations are impartial, and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump threatened to move World Cup matches scheduled for next year in suburban Boston, claiming that parts of the city had been “taken over” by unrest.
Foxborough, Massachusetts, located about 30 miles from Boston and home to the NFL’s New England Patriots, is set to host matches as the U.S. cohosts the 2026 World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada. Trump commented on Boston’s mayor, Michelle Wu, whom he described as “intelligent” but “radical left.”
“We could take them away,” Trump stated regarding the World Cup games. “I love the people of Boston, and I know the games are sold out. But your mayor is not good.” He implied that “they’re taking over parts of Boston” without providing specifics, adding, “we could get them back in about two seconds.”
The Trump administration has already deployed National Guard troops to Washington and Memphis, and attempts to do so in Chicago and Portland, Oregon, have led to legal disputes.
Wu’s office did not directly respond to Trump’s threat, instead issuing a statement that expressed, “Boston is honored and excited to host World Cup matches, and we look forward to welcoming fans from around the world to our beautiful city, the cradle of liberty and city of champions.”
Trump’s remarks came during a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei, and it was unclear what he meant by parts of Boston being seized. Earlier this month, several arrests were made during a pro-Palestinian protest that turned violent on Boston Common, resulting in injuries to four police officers.
Previously, Trump has suggested that he might declare certain cities “not safe” for the 104-game soccer tournament and alter a detailed hosting plan that FIFA confirmed in 2022.