Advertisement

Germany rejects calls for World Cup boycott

AFP
AFP - news@thelocal.de
Germany rejects calls for World Cup boycott
Germany's players celebrate a goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification Group A football match between Germany and Slovakia, at the Arena in Leipzig. (Photo by Ronny HARTMANN / AFP)

Germany's government on Wednesday rejected calls for a boycott of the football World Cup co-hosted by the United States, after President Donald Trump retreated from his threats to seize Greenland.

Advertisement

A boycott of the tournament would not be "the right approach", government spokesman Steffen Meyer told a press conference in Berlin.

"Political disputes should be settled at the political level, and sport should be left to be sport."

This year's World Cup is to be held between June 11th and July 19th in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Some German politicians had questioned whether the country should still participate after Trump last month stepped up his longstanding threats to annex Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark.

He targeted eight European countries, including Germany, with tariffs for their opposition to his ambitions.

But the US leader later withdrew his tariff threats and vowed not to take the Arctic island by force, after saying he had struck a "framework" deal with NATO chief Mark Rutte to ensure greater American influence.

Advertisement

At the height of the crisis, Berlin had avoided taking a clear stance on a boycott, saying only it was up to the country's football association to decide.

READ ALSO: 'Insanely frustrated' - Americans in Germany react to Trump's threats against Europe

Germany's minister for sports, Christiane Schenderlein, also said Wednesday the government had decided that it did not support a boycott.

"Sport must not be exploited like this," she told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily.

More

Comments

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at news@thelocal.de.
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also