Overview
- At the DFL New Year reception, DFB president Bernd Neuendorf called a boycott debate "completely misplaced right now," a view backed by Hans‑Joachim Watzke and Bayern CEO Jan‑Christian Dreesen.
- Neuendorf said the DFB presidium will take up the issue at its meeting on Friday, and no move toward a boycott has been initiated.
- DFB vice president and St. Pauli president Oke Göttlich continues to press for an open discussion, pointing to U.S. political tensions and recent ICE shooting incidents.
- The German government reiterated that participation decisions belong to sports associations, while France's federation stated a boycott is not under consideration.
- FIFA rules provide for fines of 250,000 to 500,000 Swiss francs for withdrawal and possible further disciplinary measures, reinforcing assessments that a unilateral boycott is unlikely.