Khaberni - The German Football Association has ruled out boycotting the 2026 World Cup, despite internal demands to send a message to U.S. President Donald Trump.
The German Football Association stated in a declaration: "We strongly believe in the unity of sport and the global impact that the World Cup can have. Our goal is to promote this strength, not prevent it".
The federation mentioned that its executive committee met and discussed the possibility of boycotting the tournament held in America, Canada, and Mexico, a proposal initially presented last week by the federation's vice president, Oke Guetlich.
Guetlich, who also heads the German club St. Pauli, referred to recent comments and actions by Trump, asserting that it is time to "seriously consider" boycotting the event.
However, in what seemed like a public reprimand of Guetlich, the German Football Association stated that discussions about sports policy should be conducted internally and not publicly.
The federation mentioned that a boycott is not currently under consideration. The federation is in contact with representatives from politics, security, business, and sports in preparation for the tournament, scheduled to be held from June 11 to July 19.
