The French government has firmly rejected calls to boycott the 2026 FIFA World Cup being co-hosted by the United States, despite escalating tensions over Donald Trump's threats to annex Greenland.
Government Stance on Sporting Boycotts
France's sports minister, Marina Ferrari, has explicitly stated that her ministry has "no desire" to support a boycott of the prestigious international football tournament. The competition, scheduled to run from 11th June to 19th July 2026, will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
"As it stands now, there is no desire from the ministry for a boycott of this great competition," Ferrari declared. "I am one who believes in keeping sport separate [from politics]. The World Cup is an extremely important moment for those who love sport."
Political Pressure Mounts
The controversy stems from former US President Donald Trump's renewed threats to impose tariffs on eight European countries, including France, for their opposition to his ambitions regarding Greenland. The autonomous Danish territory has become a focal point in transatlantic diplomatic tensions.
This geopolitical friction prompted Éric Coquerel, a prominent far-left French politician, to demand that the United States be stripped of its co-hosting rights. "Seriously one imagines going to play the World Cup in a country who attacks its 'neighbours', threatens to invade Greenland and rides rough shod over international law," Coquerel argued on Tuesday.
International Reactions and Sporting Diplomacy
The French position emerges shortly after the German government clarified its stance on sporting boycotts. Christiane Schenderlein, Germany's state minister for sports, emphasised that decisions regarding participation in major sporting events should remain with sports associations, not politicians.
Meanwhile, veteran football coach Claude Le Roy, who led Cameroon to African Cup of Nations glory in 1988, has suggested that African nations should consider boycotting the tournament. The 77-year-old told French newspaper Figaro: "One wonders whether it is not necessary to call for a boycott of the 2026 World Cup, given the behaviour of Donald Trump with regard to the continent."
FIFA's Relationship with Trump
Complicating the diplomatic landscape is FIFA President Gianni Infantino's close relationship with the former US president. Infantino has cultivated ties with Trump, even creating a special "FIFA Peace Prize" that he personally awarded to Trump during the World Cup draw ceremony in December.
The developing situation highlights the ongoing challenge of separating international sports from geopolitical conflicts, with the 2026 World Cup becoming an unexpected battleground in transatlantic diplomatic disputes.
