FIFA noted that football is bigger than any world leader, adding that it will survive regimes, govts and slogans.
By Kehinde Okeowo
FIFA Vice-President, Victor Montagliani, has told United State President, Donald Trump, that he won’t be deciding the cities that will host the 2026 World Cup.
The Canadian made the clarification recently at a summit in London..
Montagliani, who doubles as the president of CONCACAF, was reacting to a suggestion by Trump that he could change venues of next year’s World Cup matches.
Speaking last week at a press conference in the Oval Office, he said: “It will be safe for the World Cup. If I think it isn’t safe, we’ll move it to a different city.
“If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup, or for the Olympics, but for the World Cup in particular, because they’re playing in so many cities, we won’t allow it to go. We’ll move it around a little bit.”
Reacting to the statement, Montagliani corrected Trump, saying the Whitehouse has no jurisdiction over which cities that will host the 2026 World Cup.
He also noted that football is bigger than any world leader, adding that it will survive regimes, goveenments and slogans.
He said, “It’s FIFA’s tournament, FIFA’s jurisdiction, FIFA makes those decisions.
“With all due respect to current world leaders, football is bigger than them and football will survive their regime and their government and their slogans.”
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted jointly between Canada, the US and Mexico.
