Is a European boycott of the US World Cup being considered?

January 19, 2026 Oliver Obel

With the men’s World Cup drawing closer, an unlikely political dispute has begun to intersect with international football. Former US president Donald Trump has threatened new trade penalties against several European countries, tying the measures to his long-running push for American control of Greenland just as the United States prepares to host the tournament.

Trump’s comments, posted on his Truth Social platform, have sparked concern in parts of Europe and prompted at least one senior German politician to raise cautiously the prospect of a World Cup boycott.

A tournament amid rising tensions

The United States is set to co-host the World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada, welcoming teams, officials and supporters from across Europe. While preparations are still developing, Trump’s intervention has added an unexpected geopolitical dimension to the build-up.

Trump has argued for years that Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, is critical to US and global security. Both Danish and Greenlandic leaders have repeatedly rejected the idea of any sale, insisting the island is not for sale.

He has also claimed that rival powers such as Russia and China have strategic interests in the Arctic, framing his pursuit of Greenland as a matter of long-term global stability.

Tariff threat outlined

In his Truth Social statement, Trump accused Denmark and several other European countries of travelling to Greenland for what he described as “purposes unknown”, a claim he said justified economic retaliation.

“Starting on February 1st, 2026, all of the above mentioned Countries… will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America,” Trump wrote. He added that the tariff would rise to 25% from June 1, 2026.

“This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland,” he said.

Alongside Denmark, Trump named Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland as potential targets.

Security claims and sporting implications

Trump also argued that the United States has subsidised European allies for decades and warned that “World Peace is at stake”. He cited the need for advanced defence systems, including a proposed “Golden Dome” missile shield, saying such technology would operate most effectively if Greenland were included.

While football’s governing bodies have not commented publicly, the timing has drawn attention given the expected scale of European participation at the World Cup.

Boycott mentioned as a “last resort”

According to the German tabloid Bild, Jürgen Hardt a senior member of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union and a long-serving foreign policy figure said a boycott of the 2026 World Cup could be considered as a “last resort” in response to Trump’s stance on Greenland.

Hardt was quoted as saying he remained confident that NATO allies would reach a “better common understanding” on security issues, signalling that diplomatic solutions were preferable.

For now, World Cup plans remain unchanged. Still, the episode highlights how geopolitical disputes even those centred on the Arctic can spill into global sport.

Sources: Donald Trump statements on Truth Social, Bild reporting citing comments by CDU politician Jürgen Hardt.