Germany Plan to ‘Boycott’ 2026 World Cup After Donald Trump Threat
- A senior German politician has suggested the four-time champions could consider skipping the 2026 World Cup as a last-resort option
- Concerns have emerged over whether all leading nations will take part in the North America showpiece due to Donald Trump's policies
- Germany is not alone because other countries have previously hinted that World Cup participation may not be guaranteed
The 2026 World Cup is set to kick off this June in North America, and several leading nations are preparing to chase football’s biggest prize. But political tensions are beginning to cast a shadow over the tournament.
European giants Germany are widely regarded as one of the strongest contenders, while defending champions Argentina are aiming to retain their status as the world’s top international side.
Source: Getty Images
The South American holders are expected to face fierce competition from Spain, England and France, all of whom arrive with strong squads and recent tournament pedigree.
Germany, four-time World Cup winners, are also expected to be among the favourites, per the BBC.
However, concerns have emerged over their potential participation after a senior German politician suggested that a boycott of the tournament could be considered.
The comments come in response to controversial statements made by United States President Donald Trump regarding Greenland.
Why Germany threatens 2026 World Cup boycott
Trump, who is currently serving his second term in office, has claimed that the United States needs to acquire Greenland for national security reasons.
Those demands were firmly rejected by Greenland’s leaders as well as Denmark, a NATO member state. Despite the pushback, Trump has not ruled out the use of military force and has also threatened to impose tariffs on countries that do not support his plan to annex the world’s largest island.
Speaking to German newspaper BILD, politician Jürgen Hardt of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) suggested that Germany could withdraw from the World Cup as a form of pressure if tensions continue to escalate. He stressed, however, that such a move would only be considered in extreme circumstances.
"Canceling the tournament will only be considered as a last resort to bring President Trump to his senses on the Greenland issue."
According to the report, Hardt is the first high-profile politician to publicly raise the possibility that Julian Nagelsmann’s side may not travel to the World Cup this summer.
Despite his warning, Hardt also expressed optimism that a diplomatic resolution could still be found.
“I am confident that we will reach a better common understanding of security within NATO regarding the Greenland issue,” he added.
Hardt, who serves as a representative of the CDU/CSU parliamentary faction on foreign policy, reiterated his position by saying that cancelling participation in the tournament would only be used as a last-ditch effort to bring President Trump “to his senses” over Greenland.
Source: Getty Images
Germany is not alone in voicing concerns about participation in the 2026 World Cup.
In September 2025, Spanish government officials also suggested that withdrawing their national team could be an option, citing broader political tensions on the global stage.
FIFA could ban India from international football
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that FIFA could soon hand out another major punishment in international football, with India facing a ban following the governing body’s stance on Russia.
While the European country remains barred from official tournaments, they are still permitted to play international friendly matches.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
