Overview
- After a presidium meeting on Friday, the DFB said skipping the 2026 World Cup is currently not an issue.
- Leaders insisted sport‑political questions be handled internally and rebuked vice president Oke Göttlich for taking the discussion public.
- The DFB said it is preparing for the tournament in consultation with political, security, business and sports partners, with the event set for June 11 to July 19.
- Göttlich later clarified he sought a discussion rather than a boycott, while senior figures such as Bernd Neuendorf and Hans‑Joachim Watzke rejected the timing.
- Players including Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka are avoiding political statements, reflecting lessons from the Qatar 2022 fallout, as concerns over U.S. policy and security incidents drive public scrutiny.