World Cup 2026 Faces Boycott Calls From Germany, Netherlands and UK Over Trump Greenland Annexation Plans

A senior German football official has called for European nations to 'seriously consider' boycotting the 2026 World Cup scheduled to be held in the United States, sparking a transatlantic debate over whether sport can remain separate from politics whilst President Trump threatens to annex Greenland and pursues aggressive immigration enforcement tactics.

Oke Göttlich, who serves as president of Bundesliga club St Pauli and vice-president of the German Football Association, said that 'the time has come' to discuss a boycott. His remarks followed heightened transatlantic tensions after Trump threatened to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of NATO member Denmark, and subsequently threatened tariffs against eight European countries that opposed the takeover. 'What were the justifications for the boycotts of the Olympic Games in the 1980s?' Göttlich asked, drawing parallels with the US-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. 'By my reckoning, the potential threat is greater now than it was then. We need to have this discussion.'

Former FIFA President Joins Growing Movement

Former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter on Monday backed the proposed boycott in a post on X, supporting comments from Swiss attorney Mark Pieth, who urged fans to 'stay away from the USA'. Blatter, who served as FIFA president from 1998 to 2015 before resigning amid a corruption investigation, wrote: 'I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.'

Pieth, who chaired the Independent Governance Committee's oversight of FIFA reform between 2011 and 2013, said: 'If we consider everything we've discussed, there's only one piece of advice for fans: Stay away from the USA'. The attorney cited Trump's expansionist posture on Greenland, travel bans, and aggressive tactics in dealing with migrants and immigration enforcement protestors in American cities, particularly Minneapolis.

Multiple European Nations Debate Boycott

Germany is not alone in considering withdrawal from the tournament. In the Netherlands, more than 150,000 people have signed an online petition calling on the Dutch national team to boycott the event in protest of 'aggressive US military intervention'. However, the Royal Dutch Football Association has said it has no immediate plans to withdraw from the tournament.

In the UK, Conservative MP Simon Hoare addressed the House of Commons urging the English, Scottish, and Welsh teams to consider boycotting the tournament in order to 'embarrass' Trump. German Member of Parliament Jürgen Hardt said that Germany's national football team might consider skipping the tournament 'as a last resort' to bring Trump 'to his senses'.

A poll by the Insa polling company found that 47 per cent of German respondents said they would support a boycott if Trump moved to annex Greenland, whilst 35 per cent said no and 18 per cent were undecided. The German government has said the decision on whether to participate would be left up to the country's football federation rather than politicians.

Denmark Acknowledges 'Sensitive Situation'

The Danish Football Association, whose sovereign territory of Greenland is at the centre of the controversy, acknowledged it is 'aware of the current sensitive situation' but stopped short of backing any boycott call. Denmark are currently pursuing qualification for the tournament through the play-off route, adding complexity to their position.

The situation is particularly fraught for Denmark given Trump's repeated statements about wanting the US to own Greenland 'for national security reasons'. Trump has refused to rule out military force to acquire the territory, creating a diplomatic crisis with one of America's oldest NATO allies.

France's sports minister Marina Ferrari said her country was not currently considering a boycott over tensions related to Greenland but did not rule it out in the future. 'At the moment we are speaking, there is no desire from the ministry to boycott this major, much-anticipated competition,' Ferrari told reporters.

FIFA's Controversial Relationship With Trump

Göttlich's call for a boycott also challenged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to define the organisation's moral boundaries. Infantino has been criticised for cosying up to Trump, awarding the US president with a newly created FIFA Peace Prize in December after Trump lost out on the Nobel. 'This is your prize, this is your peace prize,' Infantino said at the ceremony.

FIFA also announced in July that it opened an office in Trump Tower in New York City, whilst a replica of the World Cup trophy has been spotted in Trump's Oval Office since 2018. The Trump administration's travel restrictions have thrown plans into disarray for fans from qualifying nations, including Senegal, Ivory Coast, Iran, and Haiti, who will be barred from entering the United States.

The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to run from 11 June to 19 July across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the United States hosting 78 of the tournament's 104 matches. Germany are scheduled to begin their campaign in Houston against Curaçao, with further matches in Toronto and the New York/New Jersey area, making it virtually impossible to avoid US venues without withdrawing entirely.