A senior German Football Association (DFB) official has said it is time to begin serious discussions about a possible boycott of the 2026 World Cup following recent actions by United States President Donald Trump.
The tournament is scheduled to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with 78 of the 104 matches set to take place in the US.
Tensions between the US and several European countries have risen after President Trump threatened to acquire Greenland, which Denmark controls.
He also warned of imposing tariffs on eight European nations, including Germany, that opposed the move. Although Trump later backed away from the tariff threat, relations remain strained.
According to BBC Sport on Saturday, DFB vice-president Oke Göttlich was quoted as saying, “I really wonder when the time will be to think and talk about this [a boycott] concretely,” “For me, that time has definitely come.”
The French government has said it is not currently in favour of a boycott, while the Danish Football Association said it is “aware of the current sensitive situation.” Denmark are hoping to qualify for the tournament through the play-offs.
Göttlich, who is also president of Bundesliga club St Pauli, compared the situation to the US-led boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games following the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.
“What were the justifications for the boycotts of the Olympic Games in the 1980s?” he said. “By my reckoning, the potential threat is greater now than it was then. We need to have this discussion.”
Germany has previously been involved in disputes with FIFA over political expression at major tournaments. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA warned players they could be booked for wearing the OneLove armband, which was intended to promote diversity and inclusion.
In protest, German players covered their mouths during the team photograph before their opening match against Japan, with then-coach Hansi Flick saying the gesture symbolised that FIFA was “silencing” teams.
Reflecting on that episode, Göttlich questioned football’s stance on political issues.
“Qatar was too political for everyone, and now we’re completely apolitical?” he said. “That really bothers me. As organisations and as a society, we’re forgetting how to set boundaries and defend values.”
He added that he would like clarity on where those boundaries lie from both political leaders and football’s governing bodies, including the DFB and FIFA.
Leave a comment