DFB vice president calls for discussion on potential 2026 World Cup boycott over Trump
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
St. Pauli president and vice president of the German Football Association (DFB), Oke Göttlich, has made waves with a bold statement, urging at the very least a public debate on the possibility of boycotting the 2026 World Cup, set to take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. He cited the conduct of US President Donald Trump as a catalyst, emphasizing that the time for such a conversation has come.
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Details: In an interview with Hamburger Morgenpost, Göttlich stated that the current international situation is, in his opinion, even more dangerous than the one that led to the Olympic boycotts of the 1980s. He stressed that football and sports organizations cannot turn a blind eye to political and humanitarian issues under the guise of neutrality.
“Taboos and boundaries are an important part of our values. We have to understand where that line is,” the football executive stressed.
Göttlich also rejected the argument that a potential boycott would harm the players themselves, including St. Pauli footballers who play for their national teams. According to him, the life of a professional footballer cannot be considered more important than the lives of people who are currently at risk or under threat—directly or indirectly—from the host country of the tournament.
As deputy spokesperson of the DFL presidium and a member of the DFB leadership, Göttlich made it clear he is not afraid of clashing with DFB president Bernd Neuendorf or FIFA president Gianni Infantino. He also delivered strong criticism of double standards in football:
“Qatar was called too political, and now we’ve suddenly become completely apolitical? That honestly annoys me,” Göttlich added.
It's worth noting that the 2026 World Cup will kick off on June 11 and run through July 20.
Reminder: US President Donald Trump will present the main football trophy to the winner of the 2026 World Cup.
