The German Football Association (DFB) officially ruled out the possibility of boycotting the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, despite recent internal calls to use the tournament as a political signal directed at US President Donald Trump.

In a statement released Friday evening, the DFB was unequivocal in stating its position and made it clear that a boycott is not an option. “We believe in the unifying power of sport and the global impact a FIFA World Cup can have,” the federation stated. “Our goal is to strengthen this positive force, not hinder it.”

The statement came after a meeting of the DFB executive committee, where the issue was discussed following comments made last week by the organization's vice president, Oke Gottlich, who had publicly raised the need to “seriously consider” a boycott in response to recent decisions and statements by the US president.

Internal Debate and External Message

Gottlich, who also chairs the Bundesliga club St. Pauli, expressed his concern about the international political context and the role of the United States as one of the tournament's host countries.

However, the German federation distanced itself from that stance and, in what was interpreted as a public reprimand, stressed that “debates on sports policy should be held internally and not in public.” The DFB went further and reiterated that no boycott is being considered, while confirming that it maintains ongoing contact with representatives from the political, security, business, and sports sectors to prepare for German participation in the tournament, which will be held between June 11 and July 19, 2026. The international context has generated concerns in various sectors of Europe. Trump has provoked tensions with proposals such as the possible acquisition of Greenland and with threats to impose tariffs on European countries that oppose his policies. Added to this are concerns about the United States' stance on Venezuela and the way protests have been handled within its own territory, factors that have fueled the debate surrounding the World Cup. Last week,Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter even recommended that fans stay away from the tournament. However, when he was at the helm of the organization, he opposed calls to boycott the 2018 World Cup in Russia due to the situation in Ukraine. "Football cannot be boycotted in any country," he stated at the time. Looking ahead to 2026, there are also concerns among fans about the high price of tickets and the travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration, which could affect the attendance of supporters of some participating teams.