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The mayor of Boston, Mayor Wu, implied that the city was prepared for a dispute with President Donald Trump concerning his assertion that he could order FIFA to remove World Cup tournament matches from Gillette Stadium, located 22 miles south-west of the city.

Mayor Wu spoke on a local podcast this week to answer criticism from the White House, which had described her as "radical left." Trump had warned that he would contact FIFA President Gianni Infantino if Boston did not "improve its situation."

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

She continued, "We live in a time where for attention, for power, to test limits ... repeated warnings ... are issued at individuals and communities who stand their ground and submit or follow along to a divisive plan."

Mayor Wu also remarked, "We will keep being ourselves, and that means, unfortunately, we are going to be part of a discussion that is challenging what Boston stands for." She finished by emphasizing her commitment for the city, declaring, "Ten toes down for our city."

Trump's Statements and FIFA Role

Earlier this week, Infantino was photographed with Trump at the international summit in Egypt. Infantino has also visited the Oval Office and given World Cup and club championship awards to the president as presents.

Earlier, Trump was asked about unrest in South Boston that included a police car being set on fire. He replied, "If things aren't handled well, and if I feel there's danger, I would call Infantino – the president of FIFA, who's phenomenal."

Trump added, "I would say: 'We should relocate the games' and they would comply. He might not prefer it. But he would do it without hesitation." Trump also specifically targeted Mayor Wu, saying, "Boston's mayor is not good ... she's radical left, and they're dominating some areas in Boston. That's a pretty big statement, right?"

Past Warnings and 2026 World Cup Information

Trump has previously suggested that he would take the similar discussion with the FIFA president about moving games from Seattle and San Francisco, which are among the 16 locations across the continent.

The US is joint hosts the 2026 tournament with neighboring countries. The 48-team event is planned to be held from June 11 to 19 July in the coming year.