Sports
FIFA: U.S. govt determines World Cup city safety
FIFA has acknowledged that the United States government has the final say on determining the safety of World Cup host cities.
The news comes after U.S. president Donald Trump said FIFA president Gianni Infantino would “very easily” move 2026 World Cup matches away from designated host cities if Trump asked him to.
Trump also indicated he would seek to move the 2028 Olympic Games away from Los Angeles if he felt the city was not safe.
The U.S. president has previously spoken about moving World Cup matches away from what he deemed “dangerous” cities, previously naming Seattle and San Francisco.
“Safety and security are the top priorities at all FIFA events worldwide,” a FIFA spokesperson said. “Safety and security are obviously the governments’ responsibility and they decide what is in the best interest for public safety.
“We hope every one of our 16 host cities will be ready to successfully host and fulfil all necessary requirements.”
On Thursday, Trump said there had been “street takeovers” in Boston and claimed FIFA would move matches for next summer’s finals if he asked.
“If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there are unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni, the head of FIFA, who’s phenomenal, and I would say, ‘Let’s move it to another location’,” he told reporters in the U.S. on Tuesday.
“And he would do that. He wouldn’t love to do it, but he’d do it very easily.
“He’d do it and this is the right time to do it.
“I could say the same thing for the Olympics. If I thought L.A. was not going to be prepared properly, I would move it to another location.
“If I had to on that one, I’d probably have to get a different kind of a permission, but we would do that.”
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FIFA president Infantino has developed a close relationship with Trump and most recently attended a Middle East peace summit alongside him in Egypt earlier this week.
FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani said “FIFA makes those decisions” when asked earlier this month about Trump’s original threat to move matches.
Montagliani told Leaders Week London: “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.”
FIFA is understood to believe there are no issues with any of the 16 host cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
A spokesperson for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in response to Trump’s comments: “The Olympic Games LA28 have the full support of the President of the United States, the Governor of California and the Mayor of Los Angeles.
“All of them are being extremely helpful in the preparations for these Games. This is mirrored on the operational level of the administration. There are three years to go and we are confident that LA28 will be great Olympic Games.”
Twenty men have been charged in a point-shaving scheme involving more than 39 college basketball players on more than 17 NCAA Division I teams, leading to more than 29 games being fixed, according to a federal indictment unsealed Thursday in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Fifteen of the defendants played college basketball during the 2023-24 and/or 2024-25 seasons, according to the indictment. Some have played this season. Two of the players named in the indictment, Cedquavious Hunter and Dyquavian Short, were sanctioned in November by the NCAA for fixing New Orleans games.
At least two of the defendants, Shane Hennen and Marves Fairley, were also charged in a federal indictment in the Eastern District of New York centered on gambling schemes in the NBA.
Former NBA player Antonio Blakeney was named but not charged in the indictment. The indictment describes Blakeney as being “charged elsewhere.”
The scheme, according to the indictment, began around September 2022 and initially was focused on fixing games in the Chinese Basketball Association. The group later targeted college basketball games, offering bribes to college players ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 to compromise games for betting purposes, according to the indictment.
“In placing these wagers on games they had fixed, the defendants defrauded sportsbooks, as well as individual sports bettors, who were all unaware that the defendants had corruptly manipulated the outcome of these games that should have been decided fairly, based on genuine competition and the best efforts of the players,” the indictment said.
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USAA on Thursday announced the three finalists for the NFL’s Salute to Service Award, and a dynasty in San Francisco could be on the rise.
After 49ers star George Kittle took home the award last year, Christian McCaffrey is among three finalists for the league’s award, along with Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson and Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones as the finalists — Jones was a finalist last year, as well.
“The finalists for the 15th Annual Salute to Service Award presented by USAA have used their platforms to be exceptional advocates for the military community, reminding us that service doesn’t stop when the uniform comes off,” Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Bob Whittle, Senior Vice President and Head of Military Affairs at USAA, said in a release.
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Christian McCaffrey, Jake Ferguson and Aaron Jones are this year’s Salute to Service Award finalists. (, G Fiume, and John Fisher/Getty Images)
“The NFL and USAA applaud Jake Ferguson, Aaron Jones, and Christian McCaffrey as deserving finalists who have demonstrated exactly what the award stands for — using the power of football to connect with, empower, appreciate and uplift our service members, veterans and their families.”
McCaffrey launched 23 and Troops in 2021 to focus on post-traumatic stress and athlete-level care for veterans. The foundation has raised $700,000 for military support and paid off holiday layaway for 515 military families.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrates his touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, in Santa Clara, California. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Ferguson has partnered with USAA to visit local military bases and supported the National Medal of Honor Museum, including an event in 2024 in which 900 students joined in person and thousands more virtually.
Jones grew up in a military household. His father, Alvin, served 29 years in the Army, while his mother, Vurgess, served for 27. Jones’ older brother, Xavier, serves in the Air Force. Jones and his twin brother, Alvin Jr., founded the A&A All the Way Foundation in 2020 to support the youth of military families.
The winner will be announced at NFL Honors in San Francisco on Feb. 5, the same night the MVP, Offensive and Defensive Players and Rookies, and Coach of the Year will be crowned.
George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a touchdown with Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter in the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium on Dec. 10, 2023, in Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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Whittle and Kittle will be among those on the judging panel for the award.
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