78 World Cup matches will be hosted by Trump’s USA
Supporters representing one of the world’s major football nations could refuse to attend World Cup matches in response to Donald Trump.
Although officially registered as a co-host, alongside Canada and Mexico, the US are set to host the lion’s share of matches (78 of 104 games) at the upcoming North American tournament, and Trump has now emerged as the face of the World Cup, even appearing on stage throughout last December’s draw.
The American President has seen his international reputation come under scrutiny since the outset of 2026, after the US operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on January 3rd, followed closely by suggestions in recent weeks that Trump could sanction an invasion of Greenland.
While the likelihood of a US military intervention in the Arctic island has now dissipated, after a speech by Trump at the World Economic Forum — in which he said: “I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland,” — those weeks of tension have significantly ramped up calls for a European protest at the 2026 World Cup.
Before Trump ruled out an invasion, UEFA leaders discussed a region-wide boycott of the World Cup.
During an event organised to celebrate the Hungarian football federation’s 125th anniversary in Budapest last Monday, figures at the head of 20 of Europe’s football federations took time for a discussion on what European nations might do in light of an escalation in Greenland.
Per a Guardian report: “Some senior figures believed military aggression to take Greenland, [would have been] the tipping point for a Uefa-led boycott or other major steps in protest at the US administration.”
Despite the climbdown in tensions, another figure representing a major European football nation has openly suggested fans could lead a partial boycott of World Cup matches.
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Speaking to The Telegraph, a board member of the Danish Football Fan Federation (DFF) suggested that Danish supporters would be less than keen on booking travel to the USA.
Anja Lilli Beikes said: “During the last year Danish travel companies experienced a huge fall in the sale of trips to the US.
“Lots of football fans are discussing whether Denmark should actually boycott the World Cup because FIFA is also enormously unpopular in Denmark.
“Honestly – and this is my personal opinion – I do not think that many Danish fans will come to the World Cup if we qualify.”
Although Greenland is an autonomous region, it is under the protection of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Whether Beikes’ prediction makes much impact will depend, first of all, on whether the Scandinavian nation make it through the upcoming UEFA play-offs to qualify for the World Cup.
Denmark lost out on an automatic qualification spot in a now-infamous 4-2 loss to Scotland at Hampden Park, and will now have to beat North Macedonia, and either of Czechia or Ireland, to make it to the tournament.
On the nation’s play-off fate, Beikes added: “I do not think we will see many Danish fans in the US. I, and some of my fellow fans, actually think it would probably be better not to qualify.”
It remains to be seen how calls for a boycott progress if Denmark secure qualification in coming weeks.
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