A vice-president of the German soccer federation has argued it is time to discuss boycotting the 2026 World Cup in response to recent comments made by President Donald Trump.
Tensions between the United States and Europe are incredibly high after President Trump revealed his wish to take control of Greenland—territory owned by Denmark—and his threat of tarrifs against any European nation that opposed his plans.
A German politician, Jürgen Hardt, recently floated the idea of a boycott of this summer’s tournament, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and that idea has now been echoed by Oke Göttlich, a federation vice-president and the president of Bundesliga side St. Pauli.
“What were the justifications for the boycotts of the Olympic Games in the 1980s?” Göttlich told the Hamburger Morgenpost. “By my reckoning the potential threat is greater now than it was then. We need to have this discussion.
“[The 2022 World Cup in] Qatar was too political for everyone and now we’re completely apolitical? That’s something that really, really, really bothers me.
“As organizations and society, we’re forgetting how to set taboos and boundaries and how to defend values. Taboos are an essential part of our stance. Is a taboo crossed when someone threatens? Is a taboo crossed when someone attacks? When people die?
“I would like to know from Donald Trump when he has reached his taboo, and I would like to know from [German federation president] Bernd Neuendorf and [FIFA president] Gianni Infantino.”
Boycott Calls Likely to Face Resistance
After the initial suggestion of a boycott from Hardt, France’s sport minister insisted Les Bleus have no desire to withdraw from the competition, although the door was left open to future action.
“As it stands now, there is no desire from the ministry for a boycott of this great competition,” Marina Ferrari declared. “Now, I will not anticipate what could happen, but I have also heard voices raised from certain political blocs.
“I am one who believes in keeping sport separate [from politics]. The World Cup is an extremely important moment for those who love sport.”
Resistance could even come from inside Germany. Ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, controversial for its human rights record, German players protested the decision to award the tournament to Qatar, only for the national federation to formally rule out a boycott.
Many fans have, however, shown support for the idea of making a stand and withdrawing from the competition.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2026 World Cup Boycott Discussions Demanded by German Federation Chief.
