European football leaders have held initial discussions about how the sport could respond to US President Donald Trump’s wish to annex Greenland, with the implications for this summer’s World Cup among the topics raised. Talks took place informally on Monday in Budapest on the sidelines of an event organised to celebrate the Hungarian football federation’s 125th anniversary, attended by about 20 football association heads.
The Guardian understands that a unified European response may be required should Trump seek to escalate the situation. Some senior figures believe military aggression to take Greenland, which Trump has refused to rule out, would be the tipping point for a Uefa-led boycott or other major steps in protest at the US administration. The US will host 78 of the 104 games during the World Cup in June and July.
Football’s authorities have been reluctant to offer public responses, but demand for a reaction will intensify if Trump does not back down. Calls for a boycott have already emerged, with the German politician Jürgen Hardt suggesting it would be a last-resort option and a petition in the Netherlands nearing 90,000 signatories by Tuesday evening. Those present in Budapest were united by deep concern about Trump’s actions, to an extent not previously seen during his presidency.
Discussions are likely to continue, although no definitive steps emerged from the talks. Uefa’s executive committee will next meet formally in Brussels on 11 February, the day before the governing body’s annual congress. The majority of football federations are likely to be guided by their governments’ responses, although some sources pondered how a more proactive approach would work.
One item unlikely to be on the agenda next month is a dramatic acceptance of Greenland into Uefa. The territory’s longstanding ambition to join was thwarted by a statute change in 2013 forbidding non-independent regions, and a fresh alteration has not been considered. Greenland remains isolated after Concacaf rejected an application to join last year.
