The German Football Association (DFB) has weighed in on calls to boycott the World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States this summer with a handful of matches in Mexico and Canada.
Speaking at a German Football League (DFL) meeting on Monday, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf said the debate over a boycott was unnecessary. “I don’t think this is a big debate at all, because I believe we at the DFB are very unanimous in our view that this debate is completely misguided at this point in time,” he said.
DFL President Hans-Joachim Watzke, who attended the event, agreed that now is not the right moment to pursue such a discussion. “When the time is right, we will discuss it, but from my point of view, it is completely out of place right now,” he said.
Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen pointed to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, which went ahead despite political tensions after Russia’s annexation of Crimea, arguing that Germany should likewise participate in 2026 and leave geopolitics to other forums.
Calls for a boycott have been rising in Germany and across Europe in recent weeks, spurred by concerns about US policy after President Donald Trump’s comments on Greenland and, more recently, following a fatal shooting in Minneapolis involving ICE agents. Some European critics note that, after political protests around the Qatar World Cup and a weakened European Union, a coordinated boycott remains unlikely — but the pressure persists.
Inside the DFB, views are not entirely uniform. DFB Vice President and St. Pauli chairman Oke Göttlich reiterated his personal opposition to traveling to the United States given the country’s current situation. Speaking to Sportschau, he said he understands if a majority within the association ultimately decides a boycott would be the wrong signal for German football, even though he would advise against participation.
Neuendorf criticized Göttlich for airing his concerns publicly before consulting DFB committees. “He hasn’t been with us that long. But as a rule, we first discuss these issues in committees, so to speak, and then form an opinion. Unfortunately, he has now jumped the gun on this issue,” Neuendorf said.
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has also voiced support for a fan boycott on social media, while some fans are already unable to travel due to recent changes in US travel policy. The debate over a boycott seems set to continue as the tournament approaches.
Edited by: Chuck Penfold
