(Adnkronos) – Amidst the clash between the United States and Europe over Donald Trump’s claims on Greenland, voices are growing in favor of a possible boycott of the Football World Cup, which will be held from June in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
In Germany, the foreign policy spokesperson for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Jurgen Hardt, told Deutschlandfunk radio that, in the event of an American annexation of Greenland, he could not imagine celebrating a joyful football match in the United States this summer. According to Hardt, an illegal occupation of the island – an autonomous Danish territory – would imply that Europeans should evaluate “whether one can participate in these matches.” However, he expressed his conviction that this will not happen and that Trump will abandon his plan.
Aydan Ozoguz, chair of the German Bundestag’s Sports Committee, also told the local newspaper Augsburger Allgemeine that “it is not at all clear under what conditions these matches should begin”.
In Great Britain, Conservative MP Simon Hoare called on the government to react firmly against Trump, stating that the government must respond “fire with fire” and hit the US president where it hurts him most, namely his ego. Hoare also questioned King Charles’s planned visit to the United States.
For Trump, the World Cup – scheduled from June 11 to July 19 – is an important event in the second year of his second term. Before the tensions over Greenland, the White House chief had shown a particular rapport with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. During the World Cup draw in December, the latter presented Trump with the FIFA Peace Prize, while the tycoon aspired to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump’s role is considered crucial for the organization of the tournament, especially since the president has threatened to cancel matches scheduled in Democrat-governed cities. Calls for a boycott had already emerged during the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to human rights violations in both countries. Previous boycotts for political reasons are not new in sports, as happened, for example, during the Moscow Olympic Games in 1980 and Los Angeles in 1984.
