In a surprising turn of events, a senior German football official has proposed the consideration of a World Cup boycott in response to the actions of US President Donald Trump. Oke Göttlich, a vice president of the German Football Association (DFB) and president of Bundesliga club St. Pauli, has stated that “the time has come” to “seriously consider and discuss this” possibility.
Göttlich’s comments come amid growing tensions between the US and its European allies, particularly over Trump’s attempts to acquire the semi-autonomous territory of Greenland, which belongs to NATO member Denmark. The US president’s threats to impose tariffs on several European nations that opposed the proposed takeover have further strained transatlantic relations, leading many to warn of a potential rupture within the NATO alliance.
“What were the justifications for the boycotts of the Olympic Games in the 1980s?” Göttlich asked. “By my reckoning the potential threat is greater now than it was then. We need to have this discussion.”
The 2026 World Cup is set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but Göttlich’s calls for a boycott have already faced resistance from DFB president Bernd Neuendorf and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The German official, known for his left-wing stance and the club’s political activism, has criticised the German federation’s previous opposition to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, stating that “as organisations and society, we’re forgetting how to set taboos and boundaries, and how to defend values.”
Göttlich dismissed the suggestion that a boycott would harm the national team players, such as Australia’s Jackson Irvine and Connor Metcalfe, and Japan’s Joel Chima Fujita, who play for St. Pauli. “The life of a professional player is not worth more than the lives of countless people in various regions who are being directly or indirectly attacked or threatened by the World Cup host,” he said.
The growing calls for a World Cup boycott come at a time of increasing political tensions and a desire among some to use sports as a platform to address global issues. As the 2026 tournament approaches, the debate over the appropriate role of politics in football is likely to intensify, with Göttlich and others advocating for a firm stance in defence of values and human rights.