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Boston's mayor, Michelle Wu, indicated that the municipality was prepared for a dispute with President Donald Trump regarding his assertion that he could order FIFA to remove World Cup tournament matches from Gillette Stadium, located 22 miles southwest of Boston.

Mayor Wu spoke on a Boston-based podcast this week to respond to comments from the Trump administration, which had labeled her as "far-left." Trump had threatened that he would contact the head of FIFA if Boston did not "address its issues."

A great deal of it is secured by agreement so that no single person, even the president, can reverse it.

Wu continued, "We're in a world where for drama, for control, for pushing the boundaries ... repeated warnings ... are directed at people and cities who refuse to back down and comply or follow along to a divisive plan."

Mayor Wu 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 what Boston stands for." Wu finished by stressing her support for the city, declaring, "Ten toes down for Boston."

Trump's Statements and FIFA Role

Earlier this week, FIFA President Gianni Infantino was photographed with Trump at the Gaza summit in Sharm el-Sheikh. The FIFA president has also visited the White House and given World Cup tournament and club championship awards to the president as gifts.

On Tuesday, Trump was questioned on unrest in a Boston neighborhood that included a police car being set on fire. Trump responded, "If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there's unsafe conditions, I would call Infantino – the head of FIFA, who's phenomenal."

He continued, "I'd tell him: 'Let's move into another location' and they would do that. 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 not good ... she's radical left, and they're taking over some areas in Boston. That's a pretty big statement, right?"

Previous Threats and Upcoming Tournament Details

Trump has previously suggested that he would have the similar discussion with Infantino about moving matches from Seattle and San Francisco, which are among the 16 locations across the continent.

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