Could it really happen that Germany, shining with four World Cup titles, would forgo participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America? Claims are emerging that a conflict with U.S. President Donald Trump could force an unprecedented choice.
The U.K.'s Guardian reported on the 23rd (Korea time), "A World Cup boycott over Trump? The football world's assumptions can no longer be dismissed lightly. Could European countries really boycott the World Cup in the summer of 2026? The fact that such a question is being raised in 2026 is itself astonishing," it reported.
Recently, as the European Union has experienced friction with the United States over Washington's revealed ambitions to annex Greenland, withdrawal from the World Cup has been raised as a political card. Germany appears to be the first to move. Foreign policy spokesperson Jürgen Hardt directly mentioned the possibility of a World Cup boycott, making it a topic within political circles.
Germany's Deutsche Welle explained, "With relations between Europe and the United States strained, calls for a Europe-led boycott of the 2026 World Cup are gaining traction in some quarters. Politicians, fans and football officials view the Trump administration's actions, especially measures related to the Greenland matter, as creating problems for World Cup participation."
In fact, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) held a meeting this week attended by several football association presidents. Last week, Trump imposed a 10% tariff on eight European countries over the Greenland issue, which reportedly became a major agenda item. Trump said he would withdraw those tariffs if an agreement were "signed" with NATO.
According to DW, the eight countries represented at the UEFA meeting were Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, France, England, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, Northern Ireland and Finland. The first five countries have already secured qualification for the World Cup finals, while Denmark, Sweden and Northern Ireland advanced to the European playoffs. Finland failed to qualify for the finals.
DW noted, "The previously mentioned meeting could play a decisive role in forming Europe-wide coordination for a World Cup boycott. Of the 48 World Cup participating teams, 16 are European countries, and many of the world's most influential clubs are based in Europe, so if European football associations move, the global football community is likely to take notice and some may join."
For now, Germany is keeping the possibility of a World Cup boycott open while saying it will leave the decision to the German Football Association (DFB). Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the Bundestag foreign affairs committee, suggested that military action may not necessarily be required for a boycott.
He said, "If Trump carries out the announcements and threats related to Greenland and starts a trade war with the EU, it is hard to imagine European countries taking part in the World Cup."
Meanwhile, German sports minister Kristiane Schenderlein said little, noting, "Decisions on participation in or boycott of major sporting events are not for politicians but solely within the authority of the relevant sports organizations." The DFB did not respond to DW's request for comment on the matter.
For the moment, Europe appears to be uniting. The Guardian reported, "Whether at the level of individual associations or led by UEFA, the perception that a joint position must be established or at least preparations made is gaining strength. Trump said he would not seize Greenland by force, then later said there were outlines of some form of agreement. But sources say such remarks should be treated cautiously."
The outlet added, "Still, internal cohesion is strengthening. The close ties between FIFA president Gianni Infantino's leadership and the Trump administration make it difficult for European football to ignore this issue. There is a shared perception that FIFA has chosen to politicize itself, and if President Trump further bluntly pursues ambitions toward territory that clearly belongs to a UEFA member state such as Denmark, the aftermath would be inevitable."
In fact, Russia was expelled from the international football stage in February 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when other countries collectively refused to play. The Guardian noted, "If the United States uses military force, why should it be treated differently, and should its status as a World Cup host be recognized under those circumstances?"
If Germany were to boycott the World Cup, it would inevitably be a major blow to FIFA. Germany is a multiple winner, having won the 1954 Switzerland, 1974 West Germany, 1990 Italy and 2014 Brazil tournaments, making it the country with the second-most titles after Brazil (tied with Italy). In this tournament, it is in Group E alongside Ecuador, Curaçao and Ivory Coast, and it also has several star players such as Florian Wirtz, Antonio Rüdiger and Joshua Kimmich.
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