FIFA has issued a statement after US President Donald Trump threatened to change the host cities for next summer's World Cup.
The tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, with the final set to take place at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
However, despite the competition being just nine months away, Trump has warned that he could intervene and change the host cities.
He claims he could contact FIFA President Gianni Infantino to pressure Democrat-run cities to take a tougher stance on crime.
Advert
At a cabinet meeting on Sunday, he said: “If somebody is doing a bad job and I feel there are unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni, who’s phenomenal, and I would say, ‘Let’s move it to another location.’
"He wouldn’t love to do it, but he would do it very easily.”
In response, a FIFA spokesperson told POLITICO: “Safety and security are of the utmost importance at all FIFA events worldwide.
Advert
"And it is ultimately the government’s responsibility to decide what’s in the best interest of public safety.
"We hope every one of our 16 host cities will be ready to fulfill all necessary requirements for a successful 2026 World Cup.”
The United States are set to host two of the world's biggest sporting events in the coming years.
After next summer's World Cup, Los Angeles will stage the Summer Olympics in 2028.
Advert
Trump's latest comments are now the second time he has threatened to change World Cup venues.
City officials have since spoken out against Trump, stressing that they have spent several years preparing to host matches.
Lisa Gillmor, the mayor of Santa Clara, California, said: “Any suggestion that Santa Clara is unsafe is simply not based in fact.
Advert
"We have been preparing for these games for nearly 3 years, and we will be proud to welcome the world to Santa Clara for the World Cup next year."
Another official from a host city added that the agreements over which locations would stage matches were finalised back in 2017 and 2018.
The controversy is just the latest difficulty ahead of the World Cup.
Fans have already hit out at the prices, with the cheapest seats for the final starting out at $2,030 (£1,510), and the most expensive reaching $6,000 (£4,462).
Advert
FIFA has also adopted a 'dynamic pricing' system for the tournament, allowing ticket prices to rise sharply in response to higher demand.
And weather conditions could also pose a logistical challenge, with extreme heat likely to force later kick-off times.
Topics: FIFA, Donald Trump, Gianni Infantino, Football, FIFA World Cup, Football World Cup
James Taylor