People are threatening to boycott the World Cup after Donald Trump‘s US travel ban included 15 qualifying countries.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup was supposed to mark a historic moment for international football.
It’s the first time the tournament will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with an expanded 48-team format bringing the beautiful game to North America on an unprecedented scale.
Instead, what should have been a celebration of global unity has become mired in political controversy, with calls for boycotts growing louder by the day.
The World Cup controversy exists within a broader context of escalating tensions between the Trump administration and Europe.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump reiterated threats of economic sanctions against European nations, particularly Denmark, over his desire to acquire Greenland.
These threats have fundamentally shifted the conversation around the tournament from sporting excellence to geopolitical confrontation.
Travel bans cast shadow over tournament
The Trump administration’s sweeping immigration restrictions have thrown the tournament into uncertainty.
Of the 75 countries now facing US travel restrictions, 15 have qualified to participate in the World Cup: Algeria, Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Haiti, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Uruguay, and Uzbekistan.
While the US State Department has clarified that these restrictions apply only to immigrant visas, meaning tourist visas for fans should remain available, the announcement has created widespread anxiety among supporters planning to attend.
Adding to concerns, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is expected to maintain a heavy presence during the tournament.
Social media discussions have raised fears about potential incidents, with one Reddit user warning that: “ICE will have assaulted and arrested at least one player by the time the tournament starts.”
The combination of travel restrictions and aggressive immigration enforcement has led many to question whether the United States is a suitable host for football’s biggest celebration of international cooperation.
FIFA’s response
The situation grew more awkward when reports emerged that FIFA officials were experiencing ‘deep embarrassment’ over their decision to award Trump a peace prize in December 2025.
Since receiving the award from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Trump has ordered airstrikes on Venezuela, captured President Nicolás Maduro, and continued threatening to invade Greenland, actions that have created what sources describe as profound regret within FIFA’s leadership.
European football officials are now having previously unthinkable conversations about how to respond.
According to reports, national association heads held unofficial discussions at a Hungarian FA anniversary party about developing a unified approach to what The Guardian is calling ‘the US-shaped problem.’
The consensus is growing that if Trump were to take military action against Greenland, a territory belonging to Denmark, a UEFA member, European nations might have no choice but to boycott.
Fans demand action: ‘Hit him where it hurts’
Public sentiment is strongly supportive of taking a stand.
A petition in the Netherlands urging a World Cup boycott has gained massive traction, reflecting widespread anger across Europe.
On Reddit’s AskBrits forum, a discussion about a potential boycott garnered over 1,000 comments and 5,800 upvotes, with users overwhelmingly expressing support for the idea.
“I think Trump has threatened Europe and Denmark with economic sanctions if they don’t give up Greenland, and one of the few things Europe and the UK could do to hit him in his ego, where it hurts, would be to boycott the World Cup,” wrote one user.
“Imagine him watching on as most of the strongest nations don’t attend. It would embarrass him and be a huge financial hit.”
The sentiment was echoed across the thread, with many fans willing to sacrifice their teams’ World Cup dreams to make a political statement.
One Scotland supporter lamented their nation’s first qualification in nearly 30 years being overshadowed by the controversy but still supported a boycott.
Another user bluntly stated: “You couldn’t pay me to go to the US right now; World Cup or not.”
Official responses
While fan sentiment runs strong, official responses from football authorities and governments have been more measured.
French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari stated that France has no plans to boycott ‘as it stands now,’ leaving the door open for future action.
German Sports Minister Christiane Schenderlein deflected responsibility to ‘the competent sports associations.’
FIFA has taken a carefully neutral stance, reminding ticket holders that ‘a match ticket does not guarantee admission to a host country’ and encouraging early visa applications.
The organization announced that World Cup attendees would have access to the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS), designed to expedite processing, though critics note this does little to address the underlying political tensions.
You can find out more about the Pass system on the US government website here.
