With the 2026 World Cup kicking off in just under five months’ time, concerns have being raised about the state of play in the host nation. Volatility in America, coupled with extreme diplomatic hostilities from the US president, is now forcing fans and officials to consider the unthinkable.
Will there be a boycott of the 2026 World Cup?
Calls to boycott the competition have been amplified in the past few weeks. Donald Trump has relentlessly poured scorn on his European contemporaries, amid a backdrop of domestic disturbances. The deployment of ICE in Minnesota, for example, is causing major concerns.
Some fans are worried about their ability to travel freely around the States, given the strict anti-immigration and visa laws that have become a hallmark of the Trump Administration. The Republican leader’s tariff threats against Europe, which have since been rescinded, have also left a bad taste.
German FA official asks for ‘boycott debate’
Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland is coming at the expense of the trans-Atlantic alliance, with Denmark remaining in the president’s cross-hairs. The ridiculous situation caused by his expansionist desires could now have real consequences for how the 2026 World Cup plays out.
Oke Gottlich is the vice-president of the German FA (DFB). This week, he went public in calling for a debate about whether a boycott would be necessary, citing similar discussions ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Gottlich wants to know if a red-line has already been crossed.
“I really wonder when the time will be to think and talk about [a boycott] concretely. For me, that time has definitely come. Qatar was too political for everyone and now we’re completely apolitical? That’s something that really bothers me. Has Trump crossed a taboo?” | Oke Gottlich
Dutch team encouraged to stay home, rather than play at 2026 World Cup
Footballing authorities in the Netherlands have also come under pressure this week, after a petition calling for the Dutch National Team to pull out of the tournament went viral. Almost 150,000 people have put their signature to the campaign, which outright slams ‘terrorist policies against migrants’.
“We do not want to support Donald Trump’s violent terrorist policies against innocent migrants. Participating in a sporting event now as if nothing were happening legitimizes expansionist policies. Let our country be on the right side of history. Keep our boys at home.” | Teun van de Keuken