World football is competing in Donald Trump’s World Cup in the USA. Politically, there are many issues for the associations at the 2026 World Cup – but the DFB is staying out of it.
The World Cup in Qatar in 2022 was not just a sporting debacle for the DFB. In an attempt to show a stance with captain’s armbands and gestures in view of the dead guest workers and human rights violations at the World Cup host, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf and other Europeans became FIFA Presidents Gianni Infantino mercilessly demonstrated during the tournament.
This sports-political victory by the FIFA boss still has an impact today. When it comes to FIFA’s politics or business, Infantino has imposed a duty of confidentiality on world football – and the DFB dutifully adheres to it.
Neuendorf with an emergency brake against them Boycott debate
DFB managing director Andreas Rettig, previously a vocal critic of the World Cup in Qatar, has largely failed to say any critical words this time. Sports director Rudi Völler warns that it is “It’s all about football”. DFB President Bernd Neuendorf has almost completely disappeared in terms of communication regarding the general conditions of the tournament. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung recently asked exactly this: “Where is Bernd Neuendorf?”
The last time Neuendorf was loud about politics was in January, when DFB Vice President Oke Göttlich called for at least a discussion about a World Cup boycott and about the question of whether one should take action given the conditions in the USA “apolitical” can behave. DFB President Neuendorf was there very quickly and clearly and ended the debate with a verbal emergency brake.
There are many topics that directly affect football
Since then there has been calm. There are many topics related to the German national soccer team’s trip to the USA. Whether arbitrary raids by the immigration authorities ICE with dangers for traveling fans, the Trump administration’s attacks on democratic principles, the USA’s war against World Cup participant Iran or the entry restrictions for fans and players in some countries – all of this has a massive impact on the World Cup, in which the DFB is playing.
The DFB likes to refer to the federal government when it comes to political issues. Bernd Neuendorf, former deputy editor-in-chief of the Mitteldeutsche Zeitung and board spokesman for the SPD, said in January that they did not have the information to make corresponding political assessments. Neuendorf was not available to Sportschau for an interview in the run-up to the World Cup.
Clear criticism of FIFA? None
There would have been enough other topics: Above the tournament is Infantino’s sticky closeness to Trump, which culminated in the awarding of a so-called peace prize at the World Cup draw. With the prize, FIFA jumped to Trump’s side after he did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize – a highly political move by the supposedly politically neutral FIFA. Neuendorf, who is a member of the FIFA Council and receives $250,000 per year from the world association for this position, repeatedly justified the FIFA Peace Prize by referring to Trump’s role in the Middle East conflict.
If Infantino in Oval Office When he visits, the entire professional football industry is behind him. The World Cup is said to be a key to new revenue in North America. UEFA recently increased its revenue from American broadcasters in particular Champions League-Rights. The Bundesliga also hired a marketer specializing in the USA for its broadcast rights. Questions about killed demonstrators are not very helpful.
Zoff issue ticket prices – the money also ends up with the DFB
Another ongoing issue remains the uncompromising exploitation of fans during the World Cup when it comes to ticket prices. Neuendorf expressed timid criticism in the sports information service: “The ticket prices are very, very high. That’s not something we welcome either.”
It’s better to only throw very small stones in a glass house: The DFB, together with other associations, officially complained to FIFA that there was too little income from the World Cup. FIFA increased payments and collects a relevant portion of the money from ticket revenue. For example, anyone who spends $430 on the game between Germany and Curacao can be sure that part of it will end up at the DFB headquarters in Frankfurt.
DFB is part of Infantino’s power machine
Infantino converted FIFA into an Infantino system. In 2024, Infantino reversed several key parts of FIFA’s 2016 reforms, strengthening the structures of his power. The fuel for this power machine remains money; there will be record revenues at the World Cup. Infantino distributes a large part of this to the 211 national associations as development money. And these are exactly his voters, Infantino has long been assured of a majority in the 2027 re-election with this obedient group – the money ensures peace, except for Norway’s association president Lise Klaveness, rarely does anyone take the floor to question things. There are no public reports on how the money is used.
In addition to the USA, the FIFA president has another ATM: Saudi Arabia. The fuss about 2022 has long been history; the DFB expressly agreed to awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia despite all the human rights violations there. Almost four years after Qatar, the DFB has long been part of Infantino’s power machine.