An official in the German Federation wants to hold talks to boycott the 2026 World Cup

Of the 104 World Cup matches this summer, 78 of them will be held in the United States.

The French government said it does not currently support the boycott, while the Danish Football Association said it was “aware of the current sensitive situation.”

Denmark aims to qualify for the tournament through the play-offs.

In making his argument, Gottlich pointed to the US-led boycott of the 1980 Olympics following the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.

And “What are the justifications for boycotting the Olympic Games in the 1980s?” Gottlich, who is also president of the German club St. Pauli, said:

“My assessment is that the potential threat is greater now than it was then. We need to have this discussion.”

Germany was embroiled in a row with FIFA at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar when FIFA threatened players with bookings for wearing the OneLove armband during matches.

The leaders of seven European countries were due to wear the armband to promote diversity and inclusion.

Instead, FIFA introduced its own ‘No Discrimination’ campaign, which was to start from the quarter-finals, and captains were allowed to wear a non-discrimination badge for the duration of the tournament.

Hansi Flick, then coach of the German national team, said that the German national team players covered their mouths while taking a group photo before the opening match of the World Cup against Japan “to send the message that FIFA silences teams.”

The German Football Association said at the time: “Depriving us of the captaincy is the same as depriving us of a voice. We stand by our position.”

“Qatar was too political for everyone, and now we’re completely apolitical? This is something that really bothers me,” Gottlich added.

“We, as organizations and society, forget how to set taboos and boundaries, and how to defend values.

“Taboos are a fundamental part of our attitude. Are taboos crossed when someone threatens? Are taboos crossed when someone attacks? When people die?

“I would like to know from Donald Trump when he reaches the taboo, I would like to know from that [DFB president] Bernd Neuendorf and [Fifa president] “Gianni Infantino.”