Overview
- On Tuesday Axel Hellmann, Eintracht Frankfurt board member and DFB official, publicly said he believes Germany has very good chances to mount a successful bid for the 2042 World Cup while not ruling out 2038.
- The German Football Association is reported to be intensively examining a possible candidacy and president Bernd Neuendorf has already briefed the Bundesliga presidium on the idea.
- FIFA’s recent hosting sequence for 2030 and 2034 and its informal rotation between continental confederations make a European 2038 tournament uncertain, which pushes practical planning toward a 2042 target.
- Officials say Germany already has strong stadium, transport and hotel capacity but that a major investment programme would be needed to renovate or build multiple venues and upgrade infrastructure.
- Hellmann has raised alarm about high ticket prices seen in 2026 and proposed measures such as reintroducing standing areas to keep tickets affordable while government support and UEFA–FIFA politics could shape any final bid.