SEATTLE — FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled an expedited visa process for World Cup ticket holders seeking entry into the United States, while the President made a veiled threat to Seattle as well.
Seattle is among the cities slated to host the 2026 World Cup, with six games planned.
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During the announcement, Trump spoke about Seattle’s new Democratic mayor-elect, Katie Wilson, and whether her agenda and the city’s existing crime issues could impact its ability to host the games.
Despite Infantino’s reassurances, President Trump expressed concerns about potential issues in “liberal” cities, stating that if there is a “problem,” he might consider relocating World Cup events from Seattle.
If we think there’s a problem in Seattle, where we have a very, very liberal-slash-communist mayor, certainly beyond just liberal…. I watched her over the weekend… wow, that’s another beauty we got there. But if we think there’s gonna be another problem, we’re gonna move this event to another place where it’s going to be appreciated and safe,” Trump said.
President Trump then redirected the question to Infantino did not directly answer, but said safety and security were FIFA’s number one priority and noted that early ticket sales indicate fans are not currently concerned about it.
FIFA has contracts with 11 American cities and venues to host the games. The Trump administration has allocated $625 million to those cities for security and recently pledged to provide $500 million more for counter-drone defenses.
Infantino toured Seattle and the Sounders’ Renton facility in October of 2024 and sang the praises of the facilities. FIFA also held multiple Club World Cup matches at Lumen Field this past summer, with no significant complaints.
The Seattle World Cup Organizing Committee said on Monday it was business as usual in planning for the event, noting that it had team members in DC last week.
“We are working lockstep with the White House Task Force. We’re working at every level of government, local, state, national, even international, on the border, to make sure this event comes off as the best event ever. And so we’re super pleased with how it’s all going,” said Seattle World Cup Organizing Committee President Peter Tomozawa, who added that Wilson had pre-emptively reached out to his group to get more information and offer her excitement over hosting the global games.
Wilson’s transition team pointed to a campaign statement in which she said she wanted the city to host an “awesome” World Cup and “This is a chance to make permanent upgrades to downtown public spaces and public transit, not just expensive, temporary improvements for the duration of the event.”
“President Trump’s comments about moving the 2026 World Cup out of Seattle once again display his ignorance about our city and what we stand for,” Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell stated. “The safety of residents and visitors to Seattle is always a top concern of our administration. Violent crime is down 20%, homicides are down 42%, and shootings are down 29%.”
Harrell continued, “Seattle continues to attract major sporting, cultural, and music events, showing that visitors and organizers from around the world have confidence in our city. As a global destination for sports, we have been doing our part to prepare for a safe, welcoming, and fun experience for all who come to Seattle for matches. We are not going to be intimidated by political theatrics from the other Washington. Seattle leaders will continue to do the hard work necessary to create a safe, welcoming, and fun experience for residents and visitors alike.”
Visit Seattle, the city’s tourism arm, also issued a statement: “We are thrilled to welcome soccer fans from around the world for FIFA World Cup 2026. Seattle – and the greater state of Washington – is all in on creating a memorable World Cup experience. We are actively collaborating with local partners and law enforcement to deliver a safe and secure World Cup.”
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson also reacted with a statement, reading “Seattle will be an excellent host for the World Cup. My team has been working hard with the city of Seattle and our partners to make sure we’re one of the best regions to host these games. I look forward to working with Mayor Wilson and her team. We’re excited to share our city and our state with the world.”
Trump’s full remarks on Seattle and Katie Wilson can be found starting at the 21-minute mark in the video below:
Who is Katie Wilson?
Wilson, who defines herself as a democratic socialist, won the Seattle mayoral race running on her platform of affordability, housing, homelessness, public safety, and transportation.
On her website, she highlights a plan for a “Trump-Proof Seattle,” which aims to shield the city from potential federal rollbacks under a second Trump administration.
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The proposal centers on protecting vulnerable communities, preserving essential services and reinforcing Seattle’s progressive values in the face of national political shifts.
Wilson’s plan acknowledges Seattle’s reliance on roughly $150 million in annual federal funding and outlines a proactive strategy to close potential budget gaps with progressive local revenue sources. Among her proposals is the implementation of a city-level capital gains tax, a recommendation she helped develop during her tenure on the city’s 2023 Revenue Stabilization Workgroup.
The mayor-elect also pledges to strengthen support for immigrants and refugees, expanding legal services, language access, and rapid-response tools for those facing immigration enforcement. She plans to update and reinforce Seattle’s sanctuary city policies, ensuring that city departments, including the Seattle Police Department, do not cooperate with civil immigration arrests or share data with federal agencies.
Wilson’s “Trump-Proof” agenda extends protections to the LGBTQ community and reproductive rights. She commits to safeguarding access to gender-affirming care and reproductive health services, ensuring shelters remain inclusive, and supporting schools in resisting federal pressure to retreat from inclusive practices.
Addressing concerns over government surveillance, Wilson plans to review how the city collects and stores data, especially any that could be accessed by hostile federal entities. She intends to strengthen surveillance ordinances and prevent SPD from using unapproved technologies acquired through other jurisdictions.
Framing her policy as both defensive and forward-looking, Wilson said Seattle must “build resilient systems that protect our people and uphold our values” in uncertain national circumstances.
World Cup Safety in Seattle
As for questions regarding Seattle’s World Cup safety, the World Cup Organizing Committee and city leaders have already assured the public that there are multiple plans in place for maintaining a safe environment.
These efforts include a focus on combating human trafficking with training for staff and workshops for businesses, and implementing traditional security measures like ticket checks and security perimeters. The Organizing Committee is working with law enforcement and organizations like the Department of Homeland Security to create comprehensive plans. Plans also address concerns like drone threats and ensure security and safety drills are conducted. Organizers have also unrolled a detailed anti-human trafficking plan.
LEARN MORE | World Cup Seattle security chief talks staging, safety at planned 2026 event
Violent crime rates per 100,000 people in each of the U.S host cities from 2024 can be found ranked below.
Figures that were calculated using the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) are labeled with a ^ notation. Cities that could not be found under the NIBRS, are labeled with a * notation. Those figures were instead calculated using local data reports for violent crime in 2024 and population numbers.
- Kansas City: 3,111^
- Houston: 3,049^
- New York City: 2,791^
- Boston: 2,463^
- Philadelphia: 2,289^
- Dallas: 2,015^
- Seattle: 1,585^
- Miami: 1,460^
- Los Angeles: 717*
- San Francisco: 548*
- Atlanta: 503*
More coverage on Seattle’s World Cup preparations can be found HERE.
