Five months before the start of the 2026 World Cup, FIFA is watching with concern an unexpected front. A proposal by a German politician threatens to jeopardize the biggest soccer event in history: 48 teams, three host countries — the United States, Mexico and Canada — and a controversy that continues to grow.
Donald Trump, who has returned to the White House, has unleashed a storm by insisting on his intention to annex Greenland to the United States. The idea, presented as a matter of “national security,” has raised alarm bells in Europe and provoked the indignation of Denmark, the European Union and NATO.
From Germany, the response has come from Jürgen Hardt, a member of the Christian Democratic Union and a figure close to Chancellor Friedrich Merz. In an interview with Bild, the politician suggested a measure that would put FIFA against the ropes: “Canceling the tournament would only be considered as a last resort for President Trump to reconsider the issue of Greenland.”
Hardt still trusts in a diplomatic solution, but does not rule out the symbolic pressure of a boycott. The threat is not a minor one: Germany, four-time world champion (1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014), is one of the most emblematic teams on the planet and a key player in the sporting and economic success of the tournament. Its absence would be a multi-million dollar blow for FIFA and for the host states.
Looking ahead
The conflict, however, goes beyond football. The Trump administration has imposed 10% tariffs on eight European countries – including Germany, France and Denmark – over their opposition to the Greenland plan, fueling diplomatic tensions that are growing by the day.
To this scenario must be added the internal climate in the United States, marked by immigration raids, protests and a government in the midst of an international struggle. Even so, the country is preparing to host the great soccer festival this summer. The ball, for now, is still in the political court. But if Berlin follows through on its threat, the 2026 World Cup could lose one of its giants before the ball is even kicked.
The debate begins
Among the voices that have entered the debate is that of the always media-savvy Piers Morgan, a British journalist and personal friend of the US president. Despite his close relationship with Trump, Morgan distanced himself with an explosive proposal. “Perhaps England, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, Norway and Italy should suspend their participation in the World Cup while tariff negotiations continue with President Trump? The withdrawal of eight of the 10 favourites might spark interest,” he said on social media. It was a reflection that sounded more like provocation than mere speculation, but it raised an unsettling possibility: a World Cup without the European powers.
The idea of a boycott is not new. In recent weeks, figures from German football and veteran coach Claude Le Roy from Africa have dropped similar messages. For the moment, everything remains in the realm of conjecture, but the scenario would be an earthquake for the organization. FIFA, with Gianni Infantino at the helm and habitual support for Trump, would face a dilemma of enormous proportions if these threats were to go from noise to fact.
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