Kaktus.media has gathered relevant facts on this issue.
Current Situation
According to The Washington Post, there is a growing wave of calls to boycott the upcoming World Cup. For the first time, 48 teams will participate in the tournament, which is a significant increase from the 32 teams that participated from 1998 to 2022.The scandal is mainly related to the actions of the USA, which is causing dissatisfaction among many European football officials.
Reasons for Discontent
The main reason is the steps taken by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Venezuela and Greenland, as well as incidents in Minneapolis, where Immigration Service officials were responsible for the deaths of two people.Existing Proposals
Some football officials from Germany and France have already expressed a desire to boycott the championship. Similar discussions are also taking place in the British Parliament. The Economist reports that this topic is being raised in the European Parliament in Brussels as well.Popular Dutch television host Teun van de Keuken has launched a petition asking the Dutch government to withdraw from the tournament. At the time of writing this article, he had already gathered more than 140,000 signatures, according to Diario AS.
Former FIFA president Joseph Blatter has also spoken out, urging viewers to stay home during the tournament, citing the tightening of U.S. immigration policy.
History of Boycotts
Boycotts in the history of World Cups are not uncommon, although they most often concern the qualifying stages. For example, in 1966, African teams refused to participate in the qualifiers due to unfair distribution of spots for the continent.In the 1938 World Cup, Argentina and Uruguay also boycotted the tournament due to dissatisfaction with the championship's organization policy.
Chances of a Real Boycott
At the same time, it is most likely that a boycott will not take place. The German Football Association (DFB) has already stated that it is not considering withdrawing from the 2026 championship.According to DFB president Bernd Neuendorf, discussions on such matters should occur within the organization, not in the public space. They believe in the unifying power of sports, and their goal is to support the positive impact of the championship.
French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari added that at this stage, their ministry does not intend to support a boycott, although it takes into account the opinions of various political groups.
Fans' Reactions
According to Roya News, nearly 17,000 fans have canceled their tickets for the World Cup following calls for a boycott. However, there has been no official confirmation of this information.Nevertheless, dissatisfaction with ticket prices is a real fact, as reported by some sources.
U.S. Reaction
At this time, U.S. officials are not commenting on the possible boycott.However, Politico reports that the U.S. intends to use the World Cup and the Olympic Games as tools of foreign policy and diplomacy, according to the developed "Guide to Sports Diplomacy."
