Washington, DC [US], November 18 : US President Donald Trump has indicated that the upcoming FIFA World Cup matches, which are scheduled in Seattle could be moved to another city if security concerns arise due to "very liberal/communist mayor."
Katie Wilson, a Democrat, recently won the mayoral contest in Seattle.
Trump criticised the city's administration and said his government would ensure the event is conducted safely. "If we think there's going to be a sign of any trouble, I would ask to move it to a different city."
"We have a lot of cities that are at number one and we'll do it very safely. So if we think there's a problem in Seattle where we have a very liberal/communist mayor, it's certainly beyond just liberal... We're going to move the event to someplace where it's going to be appreciated and safe," he added.
Highlighting the economic impact of the World Cup, Trump said the tournament would bring significant financial benefits, especially following the shutdown that he blamed on the Democrats.
"There's a huge economic boon to this. We had a little shutdown that was caused by the Democrats, and this will make up for it many times over. So that's good," he noted.
"I think it's the importance of the event all over the world. It's like having many Super Bowls... Worldwide, I think it's got to be more," he said.
Trump added, "When we made the deal, I never thought I would be president because I was supposed to be retired by then. I got a little lucky... We have the Olympics coming too. That'll be great."
Earlier, FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented US President Donald Trump with the very first ticket to the tournament's grand finale. The final is scheduled to take place in 'New York New Jersey Stadium' on July 19, 2026.
Trump's ticket, Row 1, Seat 1, Ticket No. 45/47, was handed over during a meeting at the White House.
The 2026 competition will be the first World Cup held across three countries, the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and the first to include 48 teams. It will take place from June 11 to July 19.
Sixteen venues have already been chosen to host games, with 11 in the US, three in Mexico and two in Canada.
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